The inner west is nurturing the next generation of Women's Big Bash stars with the establishment of the Inner West Girls Cricket Academy.

The Academy is a partnership between the Inner West Harbour Junior Cricket Association, Canterbury & Western Suburbs Cricket Association and Sydney Women's Premier Cricket Club. The Academy is skilling up the next generation of cricketers with mentoring from elite-level coaches, access to world-class facilities, and skill development. The aim of the Academy is to broaden the pool of players seeking selection for representative teams.

Girls' participation in cricket has skyrocketed across the inner west, up 61% in the past 4 years. Local well-established girls' teams include Ashfield Cricket Club, Marrickville Cricket Club, Summer Hill Cricket Club, and the Randwick-Petersham Club. The inner west is the home of the first girls-only competition in NSW, the Sydney Thunder Girls League.

Best of luck to the thirty inner west girls competing in the Academy's local sixers league this month and thank you to all the clubs in my electorate who are getting girls involved in the best sport in the world.