Cricket Victoria and Mildura Rural City Council have strengthened their commitment to regional cricket, announcing a new partnership to bring elite cricket, talent development and community engagement opportunities to the Sunraysia region.
As part of the partnership for the 2026-27 season, the Men and Women's Victorian State Teams will travel to the region for pre-season camps and the Mildura Sporting Precinct will host a Victorian Second XI match. Cricket Victoria will also deliver player pathway activities, community initiatives as well as highlight the region's tourism drawcards.
The partnership reflects a shared vision of growing participation, strengthening cricket pathways and positioning Mildura as one of regional Australia's leading tourism destinations for elite sport.
Cricket Victoria's Government Relations and Infrastructure Manager, Jonathan Schomburgk, said the partnership demonstrates Cricket Victoria's ongoing investment in regional communities.
"Regional Victoria is at the heart of our game, and partnerships like this ensure communities such as Mildura have the opportunity to experience elite cricket while creating meaningful opportunities for local players, coaches and volunteers," Schomburgk said.
"We've seen first-hand the passion for cricket throughout the Sunraysia region. By bringing our State programs to Mildura, we're not only supporting participation and development, but also helping showcase one of Victoria's outstanding regional tourism and sporting destinations."
Cricket Victoria General Manager of High-Performance Graham Manou said the partnership had quickly become an important part of the Victorian program.
"Mildura has proven to be an outstanding environment for our players and staff. The facilities, climate and support from the local community make it an ideal location for our high-performance programs to prepare for the season ahead," Manou said.
"Just as importantly, our camps create valuable opportunities for local players to see what the elite environment looks like, learn from our coaches and interact with Victorian representatives. Those experiences help strengthen the connection between grassroots cricket and the highest level of the game."
Mildura Rural City Councillor for Events and Tourism Rebecca Crossling welcomed the new partnership with Cricket Victoria which she said would provide a raft of benefits for the region both on and off the sporting field.
"For local cricketers to meet, learn from and witness playing at his level will not only inspire them to continue their passion and growth in the sport, but could also attract even more players, increasing participation," Cr Crossling said.
"More broadly, having state-level male and female cricketers in our region and the exposure it will generate will help promote our top-quality sporting facilities, including Mildura Sporting Precinct, as well as what the rest of our region has to offer from a visitor perspective while the players are here - so it's a win-win for our region."
The partnership also complements Cricket Victoria's ongoing investment in regional infrastructure through the Australian Cricket Infrastructure Fund (ACIF). To date, the ACIF has invested more than $630,000 across 14 projects throughout the Mildura region, including support for the continued development of the Mildura Sporting Precinct.
The partnership aligns with Cricket Victoria's commitment to strengthening community connections, growing participation and creating clear pathways from grassroots to elite cricket, while supporting Mildura Rural City Council's strategic priorities around sports tourism, community participation and regional economic growth.
