ICC EAP & Cricket Australia Equipment Drive a Resounding Success

The 2007 International Cricket Council (ICC) East Asia-Pacific (EAP) Region and Cricket Australia equipment drive at the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne was a resounding success.

Since the test the EAP Region have continued to have equipment donated from local cricket clubs and schools, including donations from New South Wales and Western Australia. More than 600 items of equipment were donated in total.

The promotion, coordinated in association with Cricket Victoria, the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) and The Lord’s Taverners, called on the general public to donate unwanted cricket equipment for distribution to developing cricket countries within the EAP region and less privileged communities in Australia. The EAP region has 10 member countries including Japan, PNG, Fiji, Indonesia, Tonga, Cook Islands, Philippines, South Korea, Vanuatu and Samoa.

The growth of cricket within the ICC EAP regional countries has reached enormous proportions in recent years. Over 35,000 people now play cricket in the EAP region, compared with approximately 15,000 in the year 2002. This amazing response has created large increases in the demand for cricket equipment, with which the ICC EAP office and the respective regional countries cannot keep up. The equipment donated will go a long way in making sure everyone gets the chance to play cricket.