Cricket Australia Chair, Earl Eddings, has commended significantly improved player behaviour, highlighting important cultural change taking place across Australian cricket.
As national players across the country prepare for the ICC Men’s World Cup and men’s and women’s Ashes series, Mr Eddings said Australians should have confidence that positive changes are being made which will enhance Australian cricket at all levels.
“After the events of Cape Town, and through the renewed leadership of Cricket Australia, we have quite rightly turned the spotlight onto each and every aspect of Cricket Australia to ensure positive change is reflected both on and off the field,” he said.
Mr Eddings pointed to the substantial reduction in code of conduct charges recorded this past season as a key indicator of the players’ renewed respect for the game and its millions of fans.
“Everyone in Australian cricket is well aware that it’s not just winning that counts, but how we play the game, and the players have certainly embraced that spirit,” Mr Eddings said.
“While we can talk about the cultural change program underway, ultimately, we will be judged by our actions on and off the field.
“With a stronger focus on values and behaviour, this past season saw a 74 per cent decrease in code of conduct charges from the national teams through to our national championships for country and indigenous teams.
“In particular, it is a credit to the leadership of Interim Executive General Manager of Team Performance Belinda Clark, National Men’s Coach Justin Langer and the Australian Men’s Team to see zero code of conduct charges for the first time since 2011/12.”
Other code of conduct results included:
- A 71 per cent reduction in charges for domestic women’s competitions;
- A 43 per cent reduction in charges for domestic men’s competitions, even with the extended KFC Big Bash League season;
- A 95 per cent reduction in charges at an underage national championship level; and
- Zero code of conduct charges in the Toyota Australian Country Cricket Championships and National Indigenous Cricket championships, down from eight the previous season.
“I would like to praise the male and female players from national teams, through to domestic competitions, youth and other championships for showing greater respect for the spirit of the game,” Mr Eddings said.
“Pleasingly, umpires report that there was a general improvement in respect for the game and their role, with match officials forming stronger relationships with players and coaches.
“This has been, and needed to be, an all of game response. While there is always room for improvement these are very good signs which demonstrate meaningful change and will have a positive and lasting impact on Australian cricket at all levels.
“Cricket Australia’s purpose is to unite and inspire communities through cricket, and all State and Territory Associations have embraced that purpose in a demonstration of unity at the top levels of cricket.
“This ongoing cultural change program has been subsequently informed by The Ethics Centre review delivered in late 2018, with a number of those recommendations already well progressed before we received the review.
“We will now be working closely with the State and Territory Associations and the Australian Cricketers’ Association to make sure that positive change is happening across all of Australian Cricket.”
This includes:
- Acknowledging the important role the State and Territory Associations play with the CEOs now officially part of the Australian Cricket Leadership Team;
- Continued strengthening of the alignment across Australian Cricket to deliver on agreed strategic priorities and resourcing;
- Considerable training across Australian cricket on being a purpose led sport; leadership development and communication;
- Open dialogue with employees and training on engagement, overcoming adversity and balancing work and well-being.
Ongoing detail on the cultural change program can be found here.
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Kristene Reynolds
CA Communications
M: +61 421 052 265
