Sutherland Calls for More Women's Matches : Sutherland Advocates for Increased Women's Matches at Major Stadiums

New Delhi, Feb 4 (NationPress) Annabel Sutherland, recently honored with the Belinda Clark Award, is calling for an increase in women's cricket matches at prominent stadiums. She pointed to the remarkable attendance at the recent Ashes Test held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as evidence that the dominant Australian team deserves to compete on larger platforms.

The 23-year-old all-rounder, who made history by scoring the first century in women’s Ashes Test cricket last weekend, celebrated a remarkable year by receiving the top individual award in Australian women’s cricket. Her exceptional performances over the past year included a historic double century in Test matches and a vital role in Australia's impressive 16-0 Ashes victory over England, marking the first whitewash in over ten years.

Sutherland expressed optimism that the success of the MCG Test would lead to a greater number of women’s matches being held at iconic venues such as the MCG and SCG. "I hope the game at the MCG initiates some change, allowing us to build on what was an incredible event," Sutherland stated, as reported by news.com.au.

The MCG Test broke records for attendance in women’s cricket, attracting 23,561 fans in just two days, with an additional 11,804 attending on the final day to witness Australia’s decisive win. This was the Australian women’s team’s first appearance at the MCG since the 2020 T20 World Cup final, where an astonishing 86,000 people watched the team claim the trophy. However, despite such overwhelming support, the Australian women’s team has not played an ODI at the venue since 2014.

Given their ongoing success, some experts have dubbed the Australian women’s cricket team as “Australia’s best sporting team ever,” which further justifies the need for regular matches at premier venues. "We just want the opportunity to compete at the major grounds. We are playing some excellent cricket, and the support from fans indicates that there is a desire to see more of it," Sutherland emphasized. "We deserve to play in the larger stadiums across the nation."

While the title of “Australia’s best-ever sporting team” is under discussion, Sutherland and her teammates remain grounded. "Sustained success is a sign of that," she noted. "However, teams consistently challenge you, and it wasn’t long ago that we faced defeat in a T20 World Cup semi-final. We must stay alert."

She credited the Australian team’s commitment to ongoing improvement as the cornerstone of their success. "What makes this group special is that we don't dwell on past achievements. We continuously look forward to what comes next, striving to enhance our individual skills and contribute to the team as much as possible."

At just 23, Sutherland has already surpassed Australian great Ellyse Perry in terms of international centuries and is among the youngest winners of the Belinda Clark Award, following in the footsteps of Meg Lanning, who won it at ages 21 and 22.

However, for Sutherland, individual awards are merely stepping stones along her journey. Her primary focus remains on improvement, and she is keen to continue refining her skills. "I am always searching for ways to enhance my performance," she stated. "You are never a finished product, especially as an all-rounder. I have made progress, and I look forward to continuing that journey."