Cricket NSW celebrates summer of record participation

In 2025-26, total registered participation in the state grew 9% year-on-year to 149,209, while registrations of 5–12-year-olds increased 12% to 69,552.

These increases have occurred in the final season of Cricket NSW’s four-year strategy, which put participation at the centre of all business activities.

From 2021-22 to 2025-26, registered cricket participation has skyrocketed in NSW, headlined by 80% growth in 5–12-year-olds, 179% growth in female 5-12-year-olds and 178% growth in Woolworths Cricket Blast.
 

 
These figures are correct as at the end of the official 2025-26 Australian Cricket Census date on April 15. The full Census results will be released later this year.

Cricket NSW Strategy & The Wildly Important Goal

Following the 2021-22 summer, Cricket NSW instituted a ‘Wildly Important Goal’ (WIG) as the backbone of its new strategy: ‘To grow the number of 5–12-year-olds playing registered cricket to 80,000 by April 2026’

Cricket NSW’s belief, backed by extensive research, was that a sharper focus on growing participation was essential for the game’s long-term sustainability, relevance and commercial success in the state.

The WIG prompted a reimagining of how cricket was delivered in the community and took a long-term view of growing participation. This included:

• Increased and diversified cricket offerings to adapt to changing trends in the community
• More direct delivery from Cricket NSW staff to support the great work of volunteers
• Enhancing volunteer, club and association support, and
• Deepening participation’s integration with all business activities including the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder.

These changes, implemented progressively over the last four years, reversed a steady decline in registered participation, before underpinning exponential growth to the levels outlined above.

To underline this success, over half of the growth in participation among 5–12-year-olds that has occurred across Australia in the past four years has come from NSW.

Martin Gleeson, Cricket NSW Chief Community Cricket Officer, said:

“We’re delighted to share that more people than ever before, particularly young children, are registered, playing and loving cricket in NSW.

“To have almost 150,000 registered participants across the state this summer, underpinned by just shy of 70,000 5–12-year-olds – 80% more than four years ago - is a testament to cricket’s health at all levels.

“By prioritising participants and volunteers, the base of cricket’s pyramid in NSW is stronger than ever before, creating a sustainable cohort of lifelong cricket fans.

“The success of the WIG has been a true whole of cricket effort, underpinned by the outstanding work of Cricket NSW staff in partnership with volunteers across our state. We thank everyone for their commitment and support.”