1
00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:01,760
Speaker 1: Joining us in the studio right now.

2
00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:06,480
Speaker 2: NT Cricket Chief Executive Officer Joel Morrison, Good morning to you.

3
00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:08,680
Speaker 3: Joel, Good morning Katie and well a.

4
00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:12,680
Speaker 2: Little Bertie aka Jerry would also messaged me to remind

5
00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:14,760
Speaker 2: me that you are the umpire of the year as

6
00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:15,560
Speaker 2: well for the footy.

7
00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:18,200
Speaker 1: He's a good man, Jerry. He's throwing me under the

8
00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:18,880
Speaker 1: bus a little bit.

9
00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,640
Speaker 3: But yes, I was running around during the NTERFL season

10
00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:24,120
Speaker 3: and was fortunate to have a reasonable year.

11
00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:27,560
Speaker 2: Good on you and Maddie. Hepworth actually raised this in

12
00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:29,720
Speaker 2: the news a couple of weeks ago and I was okay.

13
00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:32,960
Speaker 3: On a second Joel, it is with cracksh you've got

14
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,200
Speaker 3: spies everywhere so can't escape. Maddie.

15
00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:35,920
Speaker 1: Good on you mate.

16
00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,080
Speaker 2: I always think that our umpires, you know, no matter

17
00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,960
Speaker 2: what sport you're talking about, is so very important and

18
00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,000
Speaker 2: without you guys, without our umpires across all different types

19
00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:46,560
Speaker 2: of sports, well those sports simply wouldn't happen.

20
00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:48,840
Speaker 3: It's a great way to stay involved in any sport

21
00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,320
Speaker 3: really and keep fit and active. And if you enjoy

22
00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:53,640
Speaker 3: a sport, whether it's football, cricket or whatever it might be,

23
00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:55,880
Speaker 3: it's good to give back to the community as well

24
00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,160
Speaker 3: and keep back absolutely.

25
00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,800
Speaker 2: Well mate, we've got you in the studio this morning though,

26
00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,840
Speaker 2: to talk about this new program which is getting underway.

27
00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,640
Speaker 2: It's own developing Australia's aspiring cricketers. It's going to be

28
00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:10,160
Speaker 2: launching here in the top end in the dry season.

29
00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:11,040
Speaker 2: Tell me a bit more.

30
00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:13,920
Speaker 3: Well, we've got a competitive advantage in Australia when it

31
00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:16,839
Speaker 3: comes to cricket because we're the only winter club cricket competition.

32
00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:18,679
Speaker 1: And what we're looking to.

33
00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,120
Speaker 3: Do is bring thirty of the best up and coming

34
00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,000
Speaker 3: young players from around the country to Darwin to combine

35
00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,040
Speaker 3: with our best territory players and play ten weeks of

36
00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,280
Speaker 3: high quality cricket. And given now international cricket is played

37
00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,240
Speaker 3: three hundred and sixty five days a year in different countries,

38
00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,000
Speaker 3: different conditions, across three different formats, our emerging players need

39
00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,320
Speaker 3: to prepare for that eventuality when they're looking to go

40
00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,119
Speaker 3: to international cricket. And we've got the opportunity to help

41
00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:42,920
Speaker 3: out the rest of the country but also strengthen our

42
00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:45,399
Speaker 3: local community by this Cricket three six five program.

43
00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:46,640
Speaker 1: Yeah, this is fantastic.

44
00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,640
Speaker 2: So ten weeks this will run across but well literally

45
00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,400
Speaker 2: we'll see thirty of those high Will those high performing

46
00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,200
Speaker 2: players come to the territory, Well, it mean that they're

47
00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:57,800
Speaker 2: sort of you know, they're interacting with.

48
00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,640
Speaker 1: Our territory players and hopefully give us a bit of

49
00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:02,000
Speaker 1: a competitive age as well.

50
00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,560
Speaker 3: Absolutely, and that's the baity of it from a Northern

51
00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,720
Speaker 3: Territory point of view. Our best young players will play

52
00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,840
Speaker 3: and train with and against some of the best young

53
00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,040
Speaker 3: players around the country. And there'll be a mix of

54
00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:16,720
Speaker 3: Australian players, State contracted players as well as young developing players.

55
00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:18,200
Speaker 3: And I won't give you the names just yet because

56
00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:20,200
Speaker 3: we're still working to finalize things, but we're not too

57
00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,119
Speaker 3: far away. We'll announce those squads in about four weeks time,

58
00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,360
Speaker 3: but some really high caliber players, which is really exciting

59
00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:26,240
Speaker 3: for our cricket community.

60
00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:28,679
Speaker 2: So about four weeks time we'll know exactly who is

61
00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,480
Speaker 2: going to be coming to the territory. It's are we

62
00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:33,960
Speaker 2: becoming a bit more of a draw card post COVID.

63
00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:35,079
Speaker 1: Absolutely.

64
00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:37,440
Speaker 3: One of the great opportunities off the back of COVID,

65
00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,720
Speaker 3: which we've seen right across the territory is people are

66
00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,520
Speaker 3: now really starting to think the territory and top end

67
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,200
Speaker 3: and where it's been challenging to get some cut through

68
00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,239
Speaker 3: in recent years. When it comes to a cricket conversation,

69
00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,919
Speaker 3: people are now really understanding that you can play year

70
00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,840
Speaker 3: rounds by playing in Darwin and that's particularly important at

71
00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:56,920
Speaker 3: the moment when there have been so many programs not

72
00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,240
Speaker 3: happen nationally over the last twelve months, but particularly because

73
00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,200
Speaker 3: players can't go and play in the UK at the moment,

74
00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,639
Speaker 3: it gives us an opportunity to cement this program and

75
00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,520
Speaker 3: ensure it's an annial program that runs for a long

76
00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:08,240
Speaker 3: time to come.

77
00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:10,640
Speaker 2: Yeah, and look, I always think anything that we can

78
00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,480
Speaker 2: do to develop sport in the Northern territory is such

79
00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:16,840
Speaker 2: a great idea. And then particularly when you're talking about

80
00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:19,359
Speaker 2: the development of those younger players as well, I would

81
00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,600
Speaker 2: imagine that that's a real push for cricket.

82
00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:24,320
Speaker 3: Into Absolutely it gives us a pathway for our young

83
00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,120
Speaker 3: players to go to any state and pursue their cricketing dreams.

84
00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,880
Speaker 3: But we also see this as a broader opportunity whereby

85
00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,480
Speaker 3: this is a cricket product, but it gives us the

86
00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,960
Speaker 3: opportunity to promote Darwin over ten weeks to a national

87
00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,760
Speaker 3: and international audience through cricket Australia's online channels and through

88
00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,240
Speaker 3: the broadcast that are run through their Cricket Australia Facebook

89
00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,680
Speaker 3: page to showcase the best of Darwin and the top

90
00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,800
Speaker 3: end in Palmerston over ten weeks to a national audience.

91
00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:49,640
Speaker 3: And we're looking to get a couple of teams up

92
00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:51,520
Speaker 3: as well who are playing in the Big Bash League.

93
00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,280
Speaker 3: So exciting opportunities for really high level cricket and professional

94
00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:55,680
Speaker 3: teams to get involved in the territory.

95
00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:56,480
Speaker 1: That's fantastic.

96
00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,760
Speaker 2: Sounds like there's lots happening when it comes to cricket

97
00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,240
Speaker 2: here in the territory. Much else we should know about

98
00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:02,120
Speaker 2: at the moment.

99
00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:04,600
Speaker 3: The local season gets underway on the tenth of April,

100
00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:08,640
Speaker 3: which is really exciting. In addition to the senior men's competitions,

101
00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:11,320
Speaker 3: we're getting real momentum with our women's competition as well,

102
00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:13,760
Speaker 3: which is great to see. We had four teams playing

103
00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,279
Speaker 3: last year and we expect potentially seven teams to be

104
00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:18,640
Speaker 3: playing this year. And the senior women's competition that kicks

105
00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:20,640
Speaker 3: off towards the end of the next month, and that's

106
00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,080
Speaker 3: followed by our junior program kicking off as well in

107
00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:23,640
Speaker 3: a month's time.

108
00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:24,560
Speaker 1: That's awesome.

109
00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,159
Speaker 2: So in the women's league, how have you boosted those

110
00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:30,080
Speaker 2: numbers and bolstered those numbers so well over recent years.

111
00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,760
Speaker 3: We'll all credit to the local clubs for seeing the

112
00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,120
Speaker 3: opportunity to really build out cricket being a sport for everyone. Historically,

113
00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:38,760
Speaker 3: as we know, it's traditionally been a male skewed sport.

114
00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:40,839
Speaker 3: But we've had a lot of momentum around women and

115
00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:42,839
Speaker 3: girls getting involved and that's come off the back of

116
00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,240
Speaker 3: the women's Peak Bash League being so successful. So our

117
00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:47,960
Speaker 3: clubs have embraced our opportunity and they're seeing great results

118
00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:49,600
Speaker 3: because of that that fall time.

119
00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:51,240
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's wonderful to see.

120
00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:53,080
Speaker 2: What about when you talk about our youngsters, have we

121
00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,120
Speaker 2: got lots of kids getting involved in cricket at the

122
00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:56,159
Speaker 2: moment we do.

123
00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,600
Speaker 3: We've got academy programs running, we've got a junior component

124
00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:01,839
Speaker 3: of the Cricket three six five program we're talking about.

125
00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,640
Speaker 3: But clubs are reporting a large influx of young players

126
00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:08,520
Speaker 3: at the sort of under nines level this cricket season,

127
00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:10,480
Speaker 3: so clearly off the back of a lot of things

128
00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:12,560
Speaker 3: not happening last year and kids wanting to get active

129
00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:14,680
Speaker 3: and watching the Big Bash League and international cricket over

130
00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:16,400
Speaker 3: the summer. They're ready to play in the dry season. Yeah.

131
00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:17,800
Speaker 2: I was going to say, what do you reckon that's

132
00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:19,720
Speaker 2: attributed to Do you think it is that that we

133
00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:21,520
Speaker 2: sort of you know, that we've all been a bit

134
00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,120
Speaker 2: pent up. I suppose not being able to do those

135
00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,080
Speaker 2: usual activities as freely as what we could previously.

136
00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:30,279
Speaker 3: Definitely a component of that for sure. And again a

137
00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:32,520
Speaker 3: lot of good work in the competition space with our

138
00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,680
Speaker 3: local clubs to make their clubs really inclusive and attract

139
00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:39,160
Speaker 3: more young people into the fold. And it's pain dividend

140
00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:40,479
Speaker 3: this year which is really exciting to see.

141
00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:41,480
Speaker 1: Oh good stuff.

142
00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:44,000
Speaker 2: Well, Joel Morrison is lovely to speak to you this morning.

143
00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:48,080
Speaker 2: NT Cricket Chief Executive Officer and also Umpire of the year.

144
00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:50,200
Speaker 1: Good on you mate, Thank you for your time today.

145
00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:50,919
Speaker 3: Good to see you.

146
00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:51,640
Speaker 1: Thank you