A NEW partnership off the field is proving a winner for cricket in Wagga.
Cricket NSW, Wagga Multicultural Council and Cricket NSW have combined forces to provide opportunities to a section of the city’s youth.
A multicultural in2cricket centre is coming to an end where 27 kids from a variety of backgrounds have come together to try their hand at Australia’s number one summer sport.
Cricket NSW development manager Luke Olsen said the initiative has already proven a winner.
“Out of it we’ve already got one of the kids playing at Colts from an Afghan background,” Olsen explained.
“He doesn’t speak a lot of English but he really enjoys it.
“The kids have all been getting a kick out of it and it gets them playing cricket where they otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity, or the direction as to where to go to play.”
The joint initiative from Wagga Multicultural Centre and Cricket NSW came about after a clinic on Harmony Day earlier in the year.
The funding includes money from Wagga City Council’s community grants program, and is held at Turvey Park Public School.
For Olsen, it continues an exciting time for local cricket.
“Numbers are going through the roof,” he said.
“We’ve got 49 junior teams this year, which is great.”
