澳大利亚政府和澳大利亚板球协会致力于支持太平洋地区的高水平板球运动

澳大利亚政府和澳大利亚板球协会 (CA) 成立了一家合资企业，支持太平洋地区的高性能板球运动

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

澳大利亚政府和澳大利亚板球协会（CA）联手建立了为期三年的合作伙伴关系，以促进整个太平洋地区的高性能板球运动。

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.

该合作伙伴关系价值 155 万美元，将通过 PacificAus Sports 计划实施，这是一项涵盖该地区各种体育项目的体育外交举措。它将有助于识别和培养有才华的当地板球运动员，同时也旨在为国内和澳大利亚的太平洋球队创造更多高水平的比赛机会。

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.

作为合作伙伴关系的一部分，还将设立板球邀请赛，作为一年一度的锦标赛，以促进太平洋球队与澳大利亚女子和男子原住民队的比赛。首届锦标赛将于 2025 年 6 月在巴布亚新几内亚举行，恰逢该国独立 50 周年庆祝活动。

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.”

康罗伊部长在谈到此事时表示，“澳大利亚政府很自豪能够与澳大利亚板球协会合作，为太平洋板球运动员提供高水平的教练和比赛机会。我们期待更多的太平洋球队在世界舞台上竞争。”

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.”

与此同时，CA 首席执行官尼克·霍克利 (Nick Hockley) 评论了该计划对准会员的好处。 “接触更多精英级别的板球运动对于国际板球理事会准会员来说至关重要，下一阶段的合作伙伴关系将有助于提供参加澳大利亚板球比赛和设施的机会，以帮助太平洋地区国家队的高绩效项目。”

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.

这并不是澳大利亚政府第一次投入资金用于太平洋地区的板球发展。此前，它曾与国际板球联合会、CA和新西兰板球协会合作创建了2015年板球世界杯社区设施基金，其中40万美元用于在巴布亚新几内亚安装48个板球场。

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，在之前的合作中，Ellie Johnston、Ruth Johnston 和 Rhiann O'Donnell 等女子 Big Bash League 板球运动员前往巴布亚新几内亚参加 2024 年 T20 Smash。 2023 年，澳大利亚原住民男子和女子队前往瓦努阿图参加四场 T20 系列赛，而前国际明星凯瑟琳·菲茨帕特里克和朱莉娅·普莱斯则在该地区提供了教练培训。