It’s also testimony to the development of the domestic game over the past three decades which saw a largely amateur and tiny sport turn into a global professional powerhouse, with its current Australian stars now able to play full-time around the world.
This has not happened accidentally with Cricket Australia, working closely with CommBank in a tie-up now in its 35th year, having invested heavily in building up all tiers of the game - from the grassroots at local club level right through to the national squads.
It’s a partnership that is literally paying dividends as the latest World Cup win has underscored.
“CommBank's generous support of the Australian Women's Team and initiatives including the Growing Cricket for Girls Fund have been instrumental in the explosion in female participation,” said James Allsopp, Cricket Australia’s Executive General Manager of Community Cricket and Capability.
“The inspiration provided by the Australian Women's Team together with CommBank's grassroots support has helped us reach the amazing milestone of 20,000 girls under 12 in registered cricket programs and competitions. We are enormously appreciative of how our partnership with CommBank is helping to nurture and grow women's cricket at all levels.”
His comments were reinforced by Jo Boundy, CBA’s Chief Marketing Officer. “We are just in awe at how this wonderful team of cricketers just keep winning and all of us at CommBank couldn’t be prouder of what they have achieved,” she said.
“As well as underlining how far the women’s game has come over the last 30 years, to be considered as one of Australia’s greatest ever sporting teams — female or male — is a true testimony to their professionalism, skill, commitment and their belief in one and another.
“Their performance at this World Cup, on top of their previous triumphs, has set the standard around the world and in doing so they have provided further inspiration, if it was needed, for the next generations of female cricketers in Australia.”
In leaving other nations in their wake, the dominance of the national side internationally has also only added to the respect from their rivals in the way they play the game and lead by example.
It was best summed up by South African skipper Sune Luus, in the wake of the host country’s defeat by 19 runs in Sunday’s final.
“I think the level of professionalism is insane and I think their team, the world has been looking up to for a very, very long time and they’re the best for a reason,” she told the post-match media conference.
“I think if you look at the structures and pipelines, everything is just lining up and everything is in order. So, I think that’s something definitely as a country we’re striving for. And I think we obviously look at the structures and, you know, want to see how we can do that best in our country as well.
“But obviously they’re the best in the world for a reason. And we can only try and get better and better to knock on those doors to eventually beat them.”
