Photo Credit: Queensland Cricket
Queensland Cricket’s Annual General Meeting last night has featured the announcement of several milestones and initiatives.
Strategic Plan
Queensland Cricket officially launched its new three-year Strategic Plan in 2022 last night.
The Plan has been developed around a new organisational purpose: to promote and grow cricket ensuring all Queenslanders can play, participate, and enjoy the game.
Our vision – To be Queensland’s leading sport – remains the same.
The new strategic plan aligns with Cricket Australia and is built around five pillars that have been identified as keys to cricket’s growth in Queensland.
These pillars are:
- Grow Participation
- Better Teams, Players, and Coaches
- Entertainment
- Organisational Capability
- Infrastructure and Facilities
A copy of the Plan is available to download.
Board Member
At the annual election of office-bearers, long-serving Director Tom Frankling announced his retirement after 11 years on the Board.
The Townsville-based director joined in 2011. A school principal, he had a distinguished playing career that saw him represent Queensland and Australian Country cricket before joining the Board.
QC Chair Chris Simpson congratulated Frankling on his service and devotion to cricket, especially in regional Queensland.
“Tom has been a dedicated Director and a strong advocate for the game in the country and at the grassroots level,’’ he said.
“We thank him sincerely for his efforts and wish him every success into the future.”
Deputy Chair Kirsten Pike was endorsed for a further three-year term while Townsville-based Bank of Queensland business development manager Darren Frakes, a former Queensland Country cricket captain, was elected to the Board for the first time.
Financials
Last night’s meeting heard that Queensland Cricket recorded a $682,000 surplus in 2021-22, with the delegate body told that the amount would be reinvested into cricket.
Broadly this amount will be utilised by:
1) Investing the agreed $500K annual contribution into the QC Future Fund to grow QC’s asset base and resource cricket aspirations
2) Replenishing the QC Grassroots Cricket Fund with a $100K top-up of funds previously put towards flood relief in 2022 and continue to focus on growing participation.
The 2022-25 Queensland Cricket Strategic Plan was formally presented to the delegate body and the annual conferral of Life Membership acknowledged a favourite son for his widespread influence on the game throughout the State.
Life Member
Former Australian fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz was presented with his Life Membership by QC Chair Chris Simpson at the AGM.
Kasprowicz, 50, made his debut for Queensland while still at high school, and finished as the State’s all-time leading wicket-taker in first class cricket, with 505 dismissals across 115 games in 19 seasons for Queensland.
He played 38 Tests for Australia, claiming 113 wickets, as well as turning out in 43 One Day Internationals and two T20 Internationals.
His post-playing days have been distinguished by a nine-year stint as a director of Cricket Australia between 2011 and 2020 as well as a period as acting CEO of Queensland Cricket.
Kasprowicz is also a former President of the Australian Cricketers’ Association and a founding Director of the Bulls Masters.
Equally, his influence on the grassroots of the game remains on-going.
In 2003, Kasprowicz agreed to be the face of Queensland Cricket’s inaugural Volunteer Recognition Program.
‘Kaspa’s Crew’ was the first program of its type to be introduced in Australian Cricket and continues to this day, acknowledging and rewarding volunteers throughout the State.
Strategic Plan
Queensland Cricket officially launched its new three-year Strategic Plan in 2022 last night.
The Plan has been developed around a new organisational purpose: to promote and grow cricket ensuring all Queenslanders can play, participate, and enjoy the game.
Our vision – To be Queensland’s leading sport – remains the same.
The new strategic plan aligns with Cricket Australia and is built around five pillars that have been identified as keys to cricket’s growth in Queensland.
These pillars are:
- Grow Participation
- Better Teams, Players, and Coaches
- Entertainment
- Organisational Capability
- Infrastructure and Facilities
A copy of the Plan is available to download.
Board Member
At the annual election of office-bearers, long-serving Director Tom Frankling announced his retirement after 11 years on the Board.
The Townsville-based director joined in 2011. A school principal, he had a distinguished playing career that saw him represent Queensland and Australian Country cricket before joining the Board.
QC Chair Chris Simpson congratulated Frankling on his service and devotion to cricket, especially in regional Queensland.
“Tom has been a dedicated Director and a strong advocate for the game in the country and at the grassroots level,’’ he said.
“We thank him sincerely for his efforts and wish him every success into the future.”
Deputy Chair Kirsten Pike was endorsed for a further three-year term while Townsville-based Bank of Queensland business development manager Darren Frakes, a former Queensland Country cricket captain, was elected to the Board for the first time.
Financials
Last night’s meeting heard that Queensland Cricket recorded a $682,000 surplus in 2021-22, with the delegate body told that the amount would be reinvested into cricket.
Broadly this amount will be utilised by:
1) Investing the agreed $500K annual contribution into the QC Future Fund to grow QC’s asset base and resource cricket aspirations
2) Replenishing the QC Grassroots Cricket Fund with a $100K top-up of funds previously put towards flood relief in 2022 and continue to focus on growing participation.
Annual Report
The 2021-22 QC Annual Report is available online and also as a hard copy on request.
Chief Executive Officer Comments
CEO Terry Svenson noted that 2021-22 contained some notable achievements for Queensland Cricket, including the successful creation of the QC Future Fund to grow QC’s asset base and resource its cricket aspirations.
Svenson said:
“As well as the establishment of the Futures Fund, the QC Foundation has grown rapidly this year, with the Buy A Picket campaign at the redeveloped Allan Border Field successfully launched earlier this year to further assist its philanthropic goals.”
“Importantly, participation grew this year with a three percent rise across Junior Cricket and Woolworths Cricket Blast. This was the largest growth achieved by any State and a welcome result for the hard-working volunteer base that has helped produce such a rewarding outcome”.
“It means Queensland has produced 13% growth over the past two years and reinforces our strategy of working with government and stakeholders to further invest in developing suitable infrastructure.”
“We have been delighted to see elite matches played in Mackay, Townsville, Cairns and on the Gold Coast in the past 12 months and will continue to pursue opportunities to take more cricket to regional areas.”
“Returning a financial surplus this year will enable us to continue to invest in cricket. It is especially pleasing to be in this position after facing challenges from bio-security costs and the challenges associated with managing sport during COVID-19.”
“On the playing front, the efforts of our respective State team captains Usman Khawaja and Jess Jonassen on the international stage were rightly celebrated, as were the efforts of more than a dozen Queenslanders who represented at Australian or Australia ‘A’ level.
“The future appears promising as well with the Queensland Under-19 men’s and women’s team winning their respective national titles.”
“With the focus now turning to the 2022-23 season, it is timely to again acknowledge the unwavering support from our principal partners Great Southern Bank, major sponsors Betta Home Living, Alinta Energy, Toyota, the Department of Transport and Main Roads, National Storage, Village Roadshow Theme Parks, KFC, Cross River Rail, Mackay Regional Council, Kookaburra, Surf Life Saving Queensland and XXXX, as well as key backers such as the Bulls Masters and Burge XI, all levels of government, plus our media partners Channel Seven and Southern Cross Austereo throughout the past 12 months.
“We look forward to continuing to work with all our Affiliates, clubs, volunteers, and government partners over the next 12 months to realise our ambitions for cricket in Queensland.”
Name of Author: Queensland Cricket
Queensland Cricket, previously the Queensland Cricket Association, is the governing body for cricket in Queensland, Australia. Established in 1876, it oversees the Queensland Bulls, Queensland Fire, Allan Border Field, and Queensland Premier Cricket. Terry Svenson is the current CEO, and Kirsten Pike is the Chair of the Board of Directors.
