Australian cricket could suffer from a “missing generation” of children taking up the game after first-time participation in junior programmes fell by 15,000 last season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
While club players have returned in strong numbers after COVID-19 lockdowns, Cricket Australia’s annual survey revealed a worrying decline in children aged 12 and under trying out cricket during the 2021-22 Australian summer.
“This has created a challenge to ensure there is not a missing generation and increased participation among 5-to-12 year-olds is a key component of Australian cricket’s soon-to-be released strategy,” the governing body said late Wednesday.
