Photo Credit: Queensland Cricket
Queensland’s longest running Indigenous community cricket competition benefitted from the support of the Queensland Cricket Foundation during the 2022-23 season.
The Western Rivers Cup has been running in south-west Queensland since 2013 and is a joint initiative by the South West Indigenous Network (SWIN) and Queensland Cricket.
The carnival name recognises and celebrates the cultural significance of the key river systems to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the region. The competing teams are named after one of these important rivers.
The 2023 event was supported by a $5000 commitment from the Queensland Cricket Foundation, with that funding sourced as part of a $10,000 donation from first year QC sponsor Primo.
The 2024 competition for male and female players will take place at a date to be determined next years as part of a new-look Queensland Indigenous cricket pathway that will be rolled out later this year.
This will involve a strong emphasis on introductory playing formats through the Woolworths Cricket Blast program, as well as embracing a renewed Talent Identification process through the Eddie Gilbert Program and creating greater representative opportunities within the overall QC player pathways model.
With Queensland Cricket celebrating Reconciliation Week this week, staff were briefed today on the most recent funding breakdown by the Queensland Cricket Foundation that assisted Indigenous cricket communities.
The purpose of the Queensland Cricket Foundation is to fundraise and invest into cricket initiatives that create positive differences throughout the State.
It generates funding through tax-deductible donations, events and corporate partnerships, with one of its four priorities being Indigenous health and well-being.
As well as the Western Rivers Cup backing, the Foundation provided funding to enable several youth players from Far North Queensland First Nations communities to participate in representative cricket and supplied playing apparel for a girls cricket program in Central Queensland.
As part of Reconciliation Week activities this week, QC staff and players were also briefed on elements of the inaugural Queensland Cricket Reconciliation Action Plan that will be officially launched next month at Allan Border Field.
