Cricket NSW in contention for five Sport NSW Awards – Cricket New South Wales

Cricket NSW’s tireless commitment to grassroots development and community engagement has been recognised with finalists across five categories in the prestigious 2025 NSW Community Sports Awards.
As a feather in Cricket NSW’s cap, and a testament to its commitment to grow junior cricket in the state, the HKHDCA U15 Male team, representing Hornsby Ku-ring-gai & Hills District Cricket Association, is a finalist for Community Team of the Year. Winners of the 2024 U15 Weblin Shield, the team not only excelled on the field but also topped the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ rankings that truly demonstrate the sportsmanship of the team. Their performance is also seen as a launchpad for future NSW and national representatives  
At just 21,  Alyssa Wharton of Newcastle is a finalist for the Young Coach of the Year. Earlier, this year, Alyssa was the recipient of the Cricket NSW Young Leader of the Year award and received a high recommendation as a Young Leader during Cricket Australia’s 2025 Community Cricket Awards in May. A dedicated community cricket coach, Alyssa has grown her local Woolworths Cricket Blast program from 8 to 50 participants and inspired a new generation of teenage volunteers to follow her lead. Her inclusive coaching style with her Women’s T20 team, aged 13 to 63, is admired for fostering a welcoming, respectful and supportive team environment. Alyssa believes in offering a secure environment to the female cricketers she coaches for them to have a safe space to be able to play and love cricket. 
In the Community Event of the Year category, the Cricket NSW Country Male Youth Championships have been recognised as a nominee for their massive scale, community partnerships, and impact. Held across regional centres including Dubbo, Ballina and Grafton, the 2024 event brought together 624 players, 120 team staff and 96 umpires for 96 matches. Supported by councils, local businesses, and partners like NRMA Holiday Parks, the Championships generate significant economic benefits and community pride. The event is also a model for safety, inclusivity and professionalism — setting the standard for junior sport in NSW.  
Finally, in the Multicultural NSW Inclusive Achievement of the Year category, Cricket NSW’s Tape Ball League — run in partnership with Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers — has been celebrated for its innovative approach to inclusion. Originally played in an alternative format to traditional cricket by South Asian communities in Australia, tape ball is growing increasingly popular and has connected over 300 new participants across metro and regional NSW to cricket. This initiative has also strengthened trust in cricket as a genuinely inclusive sport that reflects the diversity of modern Australia. 
Sport NSW has also awarded veteran cricket volunteer Sharon Cooper for her illustrious role spanning decades to uplift and encourage women and girls’ cricket in their Distinguished Long Service Honourees list. Earlier this year, Sharon was named as one of the recipients of the Cricket NSW Community Distinguished Service Award, being one of the 43 volunteers with over 25 years of service, nominated by her peers for the award.   
Sharon’s impact on cricket has been phenomenal. Through her 45 years of involvement with the Bankstown Sports Cricket Club, and various other cricket organisations, she is one of the key people that have changed the face of women’s cricket in the Bankstown area and continues to do that to this day.  
Cricket NSW congratulates all its nominees. Winners in each of the categories will be revealed at a special presentation ceremony at CommBank Stadium, Parramatta, on June 30.
CNSW acknowledges and pays respect to the land and waters across New South Wales, on which we are privileged to live, work, and play our great game of cricket. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have walked upon and cared for this land for thousands of years.
We acknowledge their ongoing connection to this country as the Traditional Owners and we commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of Reconciliation, so that together we may bring about equity and equality, built on strong and trusting relationships.

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