ACA Premier Cricket Program wraps up fifth year supporting Premier Cricket

The ACA Premier Cricket Program has concluded its fifth season supporting ACA members to play, coach or mentor in Premier Cricket around the country.

Supporting clubs to the tune of $1 million again in 2019-20, the Program has now delivered 483 total grants to male and female Premier Cricket clubs around the country.

Click here for job opportunities in the ACA's Premier Cricket Program

ACA General Manager Cricket Operations & Player Relations Brendan Drew said that the contribution from the players to Premier Cricket should not be under-estimated.

“In 2014 the players saw a need and made the decision to invest in the lifeblood of Australian Cricket, Premier Cricket.” Drew said.

READ MORE: Australia’s elite cricketers to contribute $20 million towards growth of Australian Cricket.

“Since that time, the players have given unprecedented support for the Premier Cricket via the ACA Premier Cricket Program.

“This season saw the players contribution to Premier Cricket tick over $5 million in total investment over the last 5 years, via a program that supports ACA Members in identifying, instructing and inspiring talent in the Premier Cricket pathway.

“It’s been great to see that the program has been able to retain and attract ACA members with domestic and international experience back to Premier Cricket each year, which is what we set out to achieve 5 years ago”

Who was involved?

In 2019-20, 174 ACA members took part in the program as a player, coach or mentor. Twenty-five ACA Members were involved for the first time.

Across the five years of the program, 301 ACA members have participated as part of the Program, with many more being involved as players and coaches outside the Program funding.

“Not only is it a community thing with [Clubs providing] somewhere for people to go and have a good time,” Tait said.

“But [Premier Cricket] obviously produces Australian cricketers, it produces state cricketers.

“If Premier Cricket is strong, and is getting stronger, Australian Cricket and the Australian Team are only going to prosper from that.

“The Premier Cricket Program is one of the best things to come into the game [at this level].

“It gives you a chance to get guys who have played for Australia or for their state to come back and have great input into Premier Cricket.”

The Impact

The ACA continues to work closely with Cricket Australia in delivering the program in alignment with the national Premier Cricket and Pathway strategies.

Cricket Australia National Talent and Pathway Manager Graham Manou said of the ACA Premier Cricket Program:

“Over the past 5 seasons the ACA Premier Cricket Program has played a vital role in ensuring Premier Cricket remains the lifeblood of Australian Cricket,” Manou said.

“The knowledge, skill and experience of Past players has had profound impact across the Australian Cricket Pathway for aspiring, emerging and established players and I am sure the success of the program has contributed to reducing the gap between First-Class and Premier Cricket.”

In 2019-20, 97 Premier Cricket Clubs accessed funding in 2019-20, out a possible 105, after the Program expanded into female Premier Cricket in 2017-18, and the ACT in 2018-19.

Subiaco Floreat Cricket Club in Western Australia said of the program:

"We've been especially grateful for the expansion of the program into the Women's Premier Cricket a few years ago. “

“It is an area of cricket that has seen significant growth/expansion in recent years and to be honest, the Women's Premier Cricket program in WA is unrecognisable from what it was 5 years ago."

To read more on the ACA Premier Cricket Program, click here.