On the 11th July 2020, six women’s cricket teams took to the field in the first-ever Cricket Fiji T10 Women’s Bula Bash League. The teams took to the Bidesi ground in Suva to compete for the title in what promises to be enthralling competition. With the women’s game also adapting to the revolution of T10 cricket it will be fascinating to watch what if any changes resonate throughout female cricket.
When talking to FBC news, Cricket Fiji Chief Executive, Alex Konrote reflected that it was ‘so heartwarming to see so many new players’ participating in the tournament. The consensus from cricket associations that have embraced the revolution is that the T10 format is perfect for showcasing the game of cricket and boosting participation and this appears to be the case in Fiji as well. Further to this, due to the short nature of T10, it seems to appeal to a younger audience demographic meaning that more young cricketers seem to be picking up the sport. Increased participation can only be a good thing for Cricket Fiji, as not only does their national talent pool of players increase but so does the awareness of cricket.
The Cricket Fiji T10 Women’s Bula Bash League was finally able to get underway after previous postponements. Konrote explained that Cricket Fiji has had the tournament ‘planned for a while’ but was forced to postpone due to factors out of their control. But the tournament has surpassed the expectations of Cricket Fiji according to Konrote who initially thought that there were to be four teams in the competition, but now has expanded to six including a team from Nadi. Nadi is around a 3 and a half-hour drive from Suva and is a representation of the dedication the players in Fiji have to play the game.
The six teams competing in the tournament are Moce Harold, Island Sinas, Serua Diamonds, Ono-I-Lau Sixers, Nadi Jetsetters and Northland; with the tournament running at the same time as the male T10 competition in the country.
T10 cricket may be exactly what cricket Fiji require to create a revolution in women’s cricket in the country and may be the catalyst for a variety of different expansive factors. For example, the competition has the ability to create an increase of awareness surrounding women’s cricket in Fiji which in turn could help create further opportunities for both players and teams to showcase their talents in competitive arenas.
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