Cricket Without Borders

Megan is the granddaughter of the great Victorian and Australian batsman Bill Ponsford after whom a grandstand is named at the MCG. She is a Ponsford and proud of it! Megan is also the author of two books, one a photographic record of the Melbourne Cricket Ground including some wonderful behind the scenes areas that are not generally seen by the public and the other titled “The HAS-BEENs and NEVER...

Georgie is a dynamic young journalist and commentator from England who is currently in Australia covering the summer of cricket as well as other sports . Georgie has covered World Cups, Olympic Games and as well as working on cricket this summer will also be doing some commentary on Volleyball. She is also a Young  Ambassador for the MCC Foundation (UK) and co-hosts a podcast called Women’s Cricke...

The CC Morris Library is the largest collection of cricket literature and memorabilia in the Western Hemisphere and was established in the 1960’s. It has a fascinating history and included among its collection is a three-handled trophy presented to the winning team in the USA’s first interscholastic girls' cricket match held in 1895. Throughout the 19th Century and for almost 100 years until...

Tamara established Cricket Kindness in 2016 dedicated to addressing the desperate shortage of cricket equipment in developing countries around the world and in disadvantaged communities in England and Australia .  Cricket Kindness was inspired by Tamara’s heartfelt determination to make the world a happier place for cricket loving communities unable to access proper equipment and uniforms.  Over t...

Natalie is someone who has done it all in the game of cricket and is still making a significant contribution to the sport. As a young player Natalie represented Victoria at the U17 /U19 levels and was also an Australian U17 representative but it is arguably since her junior playing days that she has made an even more profound contribution to the sport. Natalie played a key role in the establishmen...

Tawanda Karasa, Founder and Secretary of Grassroots Cricket whose mission is to partner with organisations and individuals to build a world where all children are equal and have access to fulfill their potential.  Tawanda is passionate corporate social responsibility and youth development and social justice and has introduced a number of successful programs in his home country of Zimbabwe combinin...

Lauren is a freelance journalist in South Africa possessing a powerful storytelling ability, along with the intentionally honed skill of creating ease and calm while interviewing individuals and whose words and comments are vital to a carefully curated and researched story.  Lauren is a specialist in the area of women’s news, analysis, sport, profiling and interviewing. She is passionate about wom...

Nicole is a young woman who has come through the traditional cricket pathway since starting the game in a boys cricket team in Moe in Gippsland Victoria.   Nicole toured with CWOB to Fiji in 2015 and it was easy to see even then she was a naturally talented player and leader.  She has represented Victoria and the Melbourne Stars in the WBBL as a wicketkeeper and top order batter and is one of the...

An inspiring discussion with Cheryll about Fairbreak Global and its mission to progress equality on a truly global scale, using cricket as a vehicle to do so.  Cheryll has been CEO of Fairbreak for just over 18 months and has as her aim to nurture people as individuals or collectively to move forward on their chosen path and to empower people by giving them the tools/capacity to take the next step...

This is a wonderful chat with a woman who is changing the landscape for girls and women’s clothing in the sport of cricket. An American by birth who has lived in London for the past twenty years Leigh actually saw her first game of cricket in Australia but years later when her daughter started playing the game in London, Leigh could see that the players uniforms were totally tailored for boys.  Sh...

Marcella has done it all from a young woman playing the game at club level, representing her State, an administrator for the Victorian Women’s Cricket Association, working for Cricket Victoria and now the Co-ordinator of Women’s Cricket at the Melbourne Cricket Club as well as being the team Manager for Cricket Without Borders on a number of tours.  This is a most enjoyable discussion with someone...

Tanya Gallina is the General Manager, Commercial Operations and Partnerships and has enjoyed  a wonderful career in professional sport at the Hawthorn and Carlton AFL Clubs, Melbourne Victory and is now a member of the senior management team at the MCC.  We discuss the evolution of the MCG from a pure sporting venue to an entertainment venue, the amazing ICC Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup Final alo...

Olivia is the CEO of Cricket ACT ( Canberra) and has had an extensive career in high performance sport at the Australian Institute of Sport and then at Cricket Australia. We discuss Olivia’s love of cricket from a you ng age which has stayed with her and her desire to continue to grow the game in the ACT and provide a welcoming environment for all who wish to be involved in the sport in whatever c...

Jenny also featured in Episode 4 of our Podcast – this Episode is a special one for CWOB as Jenny travels to Fiji with the support of CWOB – we have a special relationship with Fiji having undertaken two tours there and had an opportunity to meet and play against their women’s teams and have developed a strong relationship with Cricket Fiji. On this tour Jenny meets many of their players and under...

Cath has had a lifelong involvement in the game of cricket and has a strong connection with the Pioneers Victorian Women’s Cricket Association which we talk about as well as the 150 th Anniversary of the first game of women’s cricket in Australia which is to be held on the 29th March in Bendigo which is where the first game was played in 1874. Cath provides some good background around the first ma...

David is the Librarian at the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) Library at the MCG but had a close connection with former Victorian and Australian “great” in Betty Wilson regarded in her time as the “female Bradman”. Among her many accolades Betty Wilson is a member of the Australian Sporting Hall of Fame, the Australian and ICC Cricket Halls of Fame and an Honorary Member of the Melbourne Cricket Club...

Alan is the Head of Cricket Operations at the Japan Cricket Association a position he has held since 2015. Alan has been instrumental in managing the growth of the sport at the grass roots level and now oversees all cricket throughout the country and the operations and logistics that go with having three National Squads. In 2012 Alan also wrote a book titled "Cricket on Everest" after he...

A fascinating discussion with Benafsha Hashimi who is a young Afghani woman who fled her home country of Afghanistan along with other members of the Afghani women's cricket team in 2021 when the Taliban took control of the country. Benafsha has now settled in Canberra with other members of her family who also fled Afghanistan with her and is now pursuing her new life with much enthusiasm whic...

Sophie McIIwain is an accredited player agent and is believed to be the first female accredited player agent in Australian cricket. Sophie works ethically to support her clients in achieving their personal goals and strongly feels that an agent's job is to assist in every way possible. Sophie works with players, coaches and media personalities around the world. Links: Cricket Without Borders...

Mel is a former Victorian and Australian player who helped Clare Cannon establish Cricket Without Borders in 2010 and is now  a prominent  cricket commentator.  

Catherine is an international expert in the field of integrity in sport and is a strong advocate of women’s sport. She is also a sought-after media commentator and conference presenter and has served on numerous ethics and anti-doping committees in Australia and internationally. Catherine played an instrumental role in securing humanitarian visas for members of the Afghanistan women’s cricket team...

A fanatical lover of cricket as both a player and journalist Jenny is embarking on a tour this year to more than 50 countries where she will join local teams, playing, coaching and mentoring female cricketers and then write a book about her experience. Along the way she is fundraising for the LBW Trust who believe that everybody deserves an education and an opportunity to realise their potential a...

Sarah Elliot is a former Victorian and Australian player who also played WBBL cricket with the Adelaide Strikers. Sarah has played an integral role in the development of Cricket Without Borders and has provided outstanding support for all of the players who have undertaken tours with CWOB including some who have gone on to higher honours be it in Premier, State or National cricket. Sarah is a true...

The inaugural coach of CWOB who instantly appealed to Clare as a coach for young women. Stephen is a hugely respected person within Victorian cricket and particularly in western Victoria where he has been a huge influence on the development of young cricketers both male and female and in recent years has played a key role with the Geelong Cricket Club and it’s women’s team introduction into Premie...

A discussion with Clare, the Founder and Chair of CWOB around her motivation for the establishment of Cricket Without Borders and her vision for the organisation and players invited to become involved with CWOB. Links: Cricket Without Borders website