The explosion in interest in the Women’s Island Cricket continues across SHEFA and TAFEA provinces with the Vanuatu Cricket Association seeing more than a 100% increase in participants over the past two years after competitions restarted in Tanna.
Earlier this month Mary Estelle Mahuk, the lead Social Impact and Inclusion Ambassador and Women’s Cricket Officer for the Vanuatu Cricket Association, accompanied Steeven Selevan from New Caledonia Island Cricket, to run umpiring and scoring workshops in both Tanna and Port Vila for the Vanuatu Women’s Island Cricket program.
Steeven Selevan is New Caledonia’s Island Cricket Technical Director and made the trip to Vanuatu to assist the Vanuatu Cricket Association in running these courses. The workshops in Tanna saw 17 participants from nine different Women’s Island Cricket clubs complete their courses, while the Port Vila workshops saw 15 participants from seven Women’s Island Cricket Clubs complete their courses. The workshops entailed two theory exercises and a practical examination, to complete and successfully gain certification.
These workshops come at a vital time for Women’s Island Cricket as the Vanuatu Cricket Association have had a substantial increase in interest, with over seven interested new clubs wanting to join this year alone which would result in over 20 active clubs – or over 300 participants in the program which has been run with the support of the Australian Government since 2012. The workshops also provided an opportunity for clubs in Port Vila and Tanna to set up executive committees to oversee Women’s Island Cricket competitions and its affairs for the year ahead.