Beth Mooney urges Cricket Australia to move women's home games to peak summer
Beth Mooney has urged Cricket Australia to schedule women's home games during peak summer to avoid the sport falling behind.
Australia wicketkeeper-batter Beth Mooney has called on Cricket Australia to return women's home games to peak summer, warning that the current scheduling approach risks leaving the sport behind. Mooney, who won the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament award at the 2026 T20 World Cup in England, made her concerns public on October 6.
Australia begin their home summer against Bangladesh on October 9 with three ODIs in Brisbane. They then host New Zealand for three T20s in Sydney on October 18, 20 and 22, all on school nights. After that, Australia will not play on home soil again until hosting New Zealand for ODIs in March 2027.
Under the current ICC schedule, there will be no WBBL or international women's cricket during Australian school holidays for at least the next three years. The ICC's decision to move the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy from June-July to February has also affected this summer's programme.
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Mooney is not asking for equality with the men's calendar. She is pointing out that the women's game is being scheduled into the margins of the Australian summer, which limits its visibility and growth.