澳洲政府和澳洲板球協會致力於支持太平洋地區的高水準板球運動

澳洲政府和澳洲板球協會 (CA) 成立了一家合資企業，支持太平洋地區的高性能板球運動

The Australian Government and Cricket Australia (CA) have joined forces in a three-year partnership to bolster high-performance cricket throughout the Pacific region.

澳洲政府和澳洲板球協會（CA）聯手建立了為期三年的合作夥伴關係，以促進整個太平洋地區的高性能板球運動。

The partnership, valued at $1.55 million, will be implemented through the PacificAus Sports program, a sports diplomacy initiative that spans various sporting disciplines played across the region. It will aid in identifying and nurturing talented local cricketers, while also aiming to create more high-level playing opportunities for Pacific teams both domestically and in Australia.

該合作夥伴關係價值 155 萬美元，將透過 PacificAus Sports 計劃實施，這是一項涵蓋該地區各種體育項目的體育外交舉措。它將有助於識別和培養有才華的當地板球運動員，同時也旨在為國內和澳洲的太平洋球隊創造更多高水準的比賽機會。

As part of the partnership, a Cricket Invitational will also be established, serving as an annual tournament to facilitate fixtures for Pacific teams against the Australian women and men’s First Nations teams. The inaugural tournament is set to take place in Papua New Guinea in June 2025, coinciding with the country's 50 years of independence celebrations.

作為合作夥伴關係的一部分，還將設立板球邀請賽，作為一年一度的錦標賽，以促進太平洋球隊與澳洲女子和男子原住民隊的比賽。首屆錦標賽將於 2025 年 6 月在巴布亞紐幾內亞舉行，恰逢該國獨立 50 週年慶祝活動。

Speaking on the matter, Minister Conroy stated that the “Australian Government is proud to partner with Cricket Australia to provide Pacific cricketers with access to high-performance coaching and competition. We look forward to more Pacific teams competing on the world stage.”

康羅伊部長在談到此事時表示，「澳洲政府很自豪能夠與澳洲板球協會合作，為太平洋板球運動員提供高水準的教練和比賽機會。我們期待更多的太平洋球隊在世界舞台上競爭。

Meanwhile, CA Chief Executive Nick Hockley commented on the initiatives’ benefits to Associate members. “Exposure to more elite-level cricket is vital for ICC Associate Members and this next phase of the partnership will help provide access to Australian cricket competitions and facilities to aid the high-performance programs of national teams in the Pacific region.”

與此同時，CA 執行長 Nick Hockley 評論了該計劃對準會員的好處。 「接觸更多精英級別的板球運動對於國際板球理事會準會員來說至關重要，下一階段的合作夥伴關係將有助於提供參加澳大利亞板球比賽和設施的機會，以幫助太平洋地區國家隊的高績效項目。

This is not the first time that the Australian government has committed funds towards cricket development in the Pacific region. Previously, it had partnered with ICC, CA and New Zealand Cricket to create the 2015 Cricket World Cup Community Facility Fund, from which USD $400,000 was paid out to install forty-eight cricket pitches across PNG.

這並不是澳洲政府第一次投入資金用於太平洋地區的板球發展。此前，它曾與國際板球聯合會、CA和紐西蘭板球協會合作創建了2015年板球世界盃社區設施基金，其中40萬美元用於在巴布亞新幾內亞安裝48個板球場。

Moreover, previous iterations of the partnership saw Women's Big Bash League cricketers like Ellie Johnston, Ruth Johnston and Rhiann O’Donnell travel to PNG to take part in the 2024 T20 Smash. In 2023, the Australian First Nations men’s and women’s teams toured Vanuatu for a four match T20 series, while former international stars Cathryn Fitzpatrick and Julia Price delivered coaching clinics across the region.

此外，在先前的合作中，Ellie Johnston、Ruth Johnston 和 Rhiann O'Donnell 等女子 Big Bash League 板球運動員前往巴布亞新幾內亞參加 2024 年 T20 Smash。 2023 年，澳洲原住民男子和女子隊前往瓦努阿圖參加四場 T20 系列賽，而前國際明星凱瑟琳·菲茨帕特里克和朱莉婭·普萊斯則在該地區提供了教練培訓。