Perth Scorchers stars Ashton Turner and AJ Tye visited Bunbury on Saturday to launch the 2017-18 regional season of Play Cricket.
The Scorchers host a Milo cricket pop-up session at Leschenault Recreation Park Pavilion, with activities designed to engage the whole family in the excitement of the Big Bash League.
The players bought with them the Big Bash League premiership trophy, which the Scorchers currently hold and team mascots Blaze and Amber.
Minister for Sport and Recreation Mick Murray opened the event, telling the children he was impressed by their talents.
”I can already see from the first few activities that we have some excellent young players here and I encourage everyone to get involved with a local club,” he said.
”The growth of youth involvement in sport is something I am very passionate about and it’s terrific to see the next generation of people who will add to the South West’s proud sporting tradition.”
WACA chief executive officer Christina Matthews said the growth of participation in cricket has been phenomenal.
“Women’s cricket in particular has exploded in this state – we currently have 180,000 cricket players in WA of which 63,000 are girls or women,” she said.
”It’s great to see the sport providing a popular avenue for young players to spend time with their friends having fun and developing their skills.”
WACA general manager for game and market development Jo Davies said the PlayCricket campaign created opportunities for those not necessarily involved or familiar with entry-level cricket to experience the game, with no commitment required.
“Cricket is a sport for all and there are formats and opportunities available to anyone who is interested in getting involved,” she said.
To find out more about PlayCricket and for information on the programs available, visit playcricket.com.au.