Beth Mooney says Australia's women must get home games back into peak summer, warning the current shoulder-season schedule is a bad timeslot that will stop girls getting into the game.
Veteran Australia wicketkeeper-batter Beth Mooney told AAP on Tuesday 6 October 2026 that senior women's players are calling on Cricket Australia to return some of their home games to the peak of summer. They fear the current schedule will hurt the growth of the sport among girls. The story was carried by ESPNcricinfo.
| At a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Player | Beth Mooney, veteran Australia wicketkeeper-batter |
| Ask | Cricket Australia to return some home games to peak summer |
| October fixtures | Three ODIs v Bangladesh in Brisbane (9, 11, 14 October) and three T20Is v New Zealand in Sydney (18, 20, 22 October), all on school nights |
| Next home series | New Zealand ODIs in March 2027 |
| December and January | No home games this season, and no women's cricket in school holidays for three years under the current ICC schedule |
A bad timeslot, at a bad time of year
Mooney's worry is about the next generation. "We don't want to be the sport that falls behind because we're just getting it wrong," she said. She believes the current calendar is working against the women's game rather than for it: "We're just pushing it uphill, because we're in a bad timeslot and it's a bad time of year for parents."
The October schedule shows the problem. Australia's home summer starts on Friday 9 October against Bangladesh, with three ODIs at Allan Border Field in Brisbane. Three T20Is against New Zealand follow at North Sydney Oval, and all three fall on school nights. After that Australia do not play at home again until they host New Zealand for ODIs in March 2027.
Mooney put the family side bluntly: "They're not dragging their kid out to watch a 7pm T20 on a Tuesday night or whatever it is." Her conclusion was just as direct: "That's going to stop girls getting into the game, because parents aren't going to take them." The national side will not play at home in December or January this season, and under the current ICC schedule there will be no WBBL or women's international cricket during Australian school holidays for at least the next three years.
Perry said it first
Mooney is not the first to raise the issue. Ellyse Perry, Australia's most-capped player, expressed similar concerns earlier last month, in September 2026. The concern now comes from more than one senior voice in a team that is the world's No.1-ranked women's side.
On the field, Sophie Molineux captains the Bangladesh and New Zealand series, with Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner as vice-captains. The October matches are also preparation for the inaugural T20 Champions Trophy in India in February.
Read the full story on ESPNcricinfo. ESPNcricinfo.
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