Sport
17 December, 2025
Show your support for women’s cricket
Some of the world’s most talented female cricketers will be on show at Bradman Oval early next year.
Some of the world’s most talented female cricketers will be on show at Bradman Oval early next year.
Not necessarily from England or Australia – but from countries where the women are just as talented but aren’t offered the same opportunities.
The two-day event is being organised by the Lyrebird Foundation in conjunction with Western Sydney University (WSU) and Ethan Indigenous.
It will include two matches at Bowral’s iconic Bradman Oval on March 12 and 13 featuring female cricketers from around the globe including Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Pakistan – as well as Australia.
There will also be a fundraising dinner at Peppers Craigeburn on the night of March 12 to help support women wanting to study a new Diploma of Sport (Cricket) commencing at the Campbelltown and Delhi campuses of WSU next year.
The March 12 game will be a corporate event providing sponsors and supporters of the Lyrebird Foundation with an opportunity to pit their skills against in-form women cricketers.
The March 13 game will be a T20 with an international team taking on a team fielded by Ethan Indigenous.
The fundraising dinner is particularly important because it will help provide scholarships for female cricketers wanting to earn a qualification through WSU and establish careers as coaches, match officials and administrators or in areas such as media and marketing.
The 12-month Diploma will act as a bridging course to some bachelor’s degrees.
There is a limited number of tables available at the March 12 fundraising dinner at a cost of $1500 for a table of 10, tax deductible.
Chair of the Lyrebird Foundation, Shaun Martyn, said a number of tables had already been snatched up but he is keen to see local businesses throw their support behind the fundraiser.
Speakers on the night will include former cricketing great Geoff Lawson and former chief executive of the Australian Business Council, Jennifer Westacott.
Both are board members of the Lyrebird Foundation.
Those people wanting to book a table can do so by calling 0412 332 638.
Mr Martyn said cricket was the world’s second most popular women’s team sport in the world behind soccer.
Unfortunately, hundreds and hundreds of women around the world have the talent to forge professional careers in the sport but don’t have the avenues or opportunities to do so.
“Talent shouldn’t be defined by geography,” Mr Martyn told The Southern Wire this week.
Mr Martyn grew up in Bowral, played junior cricket on Bradman oval and is excited to be bringing another match celebrating International Women’s Day back to the Southern Highlands.
A similar match in Bowral earlier this year attracted “hundreds” of spectators.
Mr Martyn said new cricket facilities were being built at the WSU campus in Campbelltown to support the new Diploma course, but Bradman Oval was considered a “second home” and would continue to host high-quality women’s fixtures moving forward.
There will be no cost for anyone wanting to spectate at the games on March 12 and 13.
Read More: Bowral, Southern Highlands