JAMES Sutherland says record crowds at recent women’s soccer internationals in Australia have given local cricket fans something to aspire to.
The Matildas attracted 15,089 supporters to their recent clash with Brazil in Penrith, then 16,829 packed in to watch them defeat the same opposition in Newcastle.
The only women’s fixture to draw a bigger crowd in NSW is thought to have been the gold-medal basketball game at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
The figures left a big impression on Cricket Australia boss Sutherland, who signed off this year on a record pay rise for female players. Sutherland is upbeat the women’s Ashes, starting in Brisbane on October 22 and including stops in Coffs Harbour, Sydney and Canberra, will be followed by the public just as keenly.
“The great crowds the Matildas have attracted … that’s something for Australian cricket fans to aspire to,” he said.
“We’ve seen in recent times a really strong wave of public support for women’s sport.
“It doesn’t get any bigger than an Ashes.
“We expect a big crowd at the kick-off match at Allan Border Field.”
The profile of women’s sport has recently exploded in Australia, with an epic women’s Big Bash League derby in Sydney earlier this year drawing 17,346 fans.
A capacity crowd of 24,500 witnessed the inaugural AFLW fixture earlier this year in Melbourne but admission to that clash was free.
The women’s World Cup final at Lord’s sold out earlier this year, with ticket scalpers lining the street on match day trying to secure spare ones for resale.
This summer marks the first time tickets are being sold to stand-alone women’s cricket matches in Australia.
“Ticket sales are good,” Sutherland said.
“There’s lots of tickets available to matches at Coffs Harbour and the day-night Test at North Sydney … none of those grounds are huge capacity so we encourage people to get in early.” Sutherland added he wanted Australia to host more women’s fixtures in future summers, above and beyond the International Cricket Council’s guidelines.
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