Indigenous-specific cricket kits distributed around Australia

Two hundred cricket kits bearing Indigenous colours and prints will be distributed to Indigenous communities around Australia this month as part of Cricket Australia's commitment to make the game more accessible for Indigenous Australians.

The specially crafted kits, which include plastic bats, balls, wickets, batting tees, carry bag, markers and 250 lesson plans, will be delivered to various Indigenous communities by state and territory cricket associations during October.

In addition, eight transportable pitches and eight traditional adult cricket kits were delivered to cricket associations last month to help develop Indigenous cricket.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said the equipment initiative reaffirmed cricket's strategy to take the game beyond its traditional boundaries.

"This is a great chance to make a tangible contribution to fostering interest and opportunity among Indigenous players," Mr Sutherland said.

"We've seen that there are ways to substitute cricket equipment when it's not readily available, by using make-do objects like rubbish bins as stumps and tennis balls.

"But nothing compares to actually having proper equipment, and that's why this is such a terrific initiative.

"It gives players access to the tools of the trade so that they can keep building their cricket skills.

"The initiative supports Cricket Australia's Indigenous strategy, which seeks to develop the game among Indigenous Australians and provide the necessary funding, facilities, equipment and knowledge for that to occur."

The equipment initiative is funded by the Australian Sports Commission's Indigenous Sports Program to Cricket Australia to aid cricket development programs for Indigenous Australians.

Cricket Australia's Indigenous cricket strategy, entitled Two Strong Cultures: Australia's New Cricket Tradition, was developed in 2002 to provide opportunities and pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to take a leading part in a new culture of Australian cricket.

The allocation of cricket equipment builds on the objective to provide access to facilities and equipment appropriate to the needs Indigenous communities.