Queensland star Beth Mooney today celebrated selection in the Australian ICC Women’s T20 World Cup squad with a surprise meet and greet for members of the Bulimba Cricket Club junior girls team in Brisbane.

The world’s fifth ranked T20 International batter was at Allan Border Field to meet the star-struck girls as part of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Trophy Tour, driven by Nissan.

The Bulimba Cricket Club attracted global attention in 2018 through 12-year-old Olivia Cotter, who wrote to a cricket equipment manufacturer enquiring why girls cricket sizes were not available to purchase.

Mooney is one of three Queenslanders selected in the Australian squad, which follows Brisbane Heat’s consecutive WBBL titles – helping play a pivotal role to inspire local girls to play cricket.

According to the most recent census, Cricket participation across Queensland grew by 10% to 336,402 in 2018-19, including 11% growth in female participation, which now makes up 33% of total participation following consistent growth in recent years.

Many of those new participants will be able to see Mooney play in front of her home crowd when Australia play West Indies at Allan Border Field in an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup warm-up match on February 15 2020.

With bushfires devastating families, communities and wildlife across Australia, the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 will also use the Trophy Tour as a platform to promote bushfire emergency relief efforts, which includes encouraging the global cricket family to support fundraising through our charity partner UNICEF Australia. Read the statement here.

Speaking at the Trophy Tour’s visit to Allan Border Field, Mooney said;

“It’s probably a bit of a surreal moment. When I was their age I was playing boys cricket and we never had anything like this, I never got to meet any of the players and I couldn’t even tell you who was on the teams."

"My favourite player was a male, Mike Hussey and now it’s sort of unbelievable that the girls can peel off all the names of the Australian Women’s team.”

“Excitement I think is the word. If you’re lucky you get to play one and if you’re really lucky you get to play two home (World Cups) in your career and just the capacity to be able to have friends and family and young girls that know our names supporting us throughout the tournament. Whether it’s at a warm up game in Brisbane or the first game against India at Sydney Showgrounds, I think it’s just a really important time.”

Queensland Minister for Sport, Mick de Brenni said;

“We’re extremely proud of Beth and all of Queensland’s representatives who have been selected in the ICC T20 World Cup squad. They are fantastic role models for the next generation.”

“This is reflected in the phenomenal growth in participation across Queensland Cricket last season with an 18% increase in entry level female participation.”

“This Trophy Tour is raising awareness of the series – but very importantly it’s also raising the profile of women in sport. Something that the Queensland Government supports and is heavily invested in.”

“This is reflected in our new partnership with Queensland Cricket as part of our $1.3 billion, 10-year Activate! Queensland sports strategy.”

Tickets to all warm-up matches are on sale now at t20worldcup.com, free tickets for kids and $10 for adults.