ANNUAL REPORT 2015 - 2016 CONTENTS After the tumult and grand scale of 2014-15, cricket in Queensland had a more Chairman’s Report 2 measured and recognizable look in 2015-16. CEO’s Report 5 Driven by innovation and growth, the national cricketing landscape continued to evolve with the wildly successful introduction of the Women’s Big Bash League. Bulls / CA / ACA Awards 9 The WBBL Brisbane Heat thus came into being alongside their older sibling, the My FootDr Bulls Snapshot 10 Brisbane Heat, which continued to demonstrate their soaring appeal to new and existing fans alike during the summer holidays. Konica Minolta Qld Fire Snapshot 11 Both Heat teams finished sixth, with Chris Lynn outstanding for the men and Beth Brisbane Heat Snapshot 12 Mooney, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen and Holly Ferling highly impressive for the My FootDr Premier Grade 14 WBBL Heat in their inaugural series. While major trophies eluded Queensland in 2015-16, there were many encouraging Participation 16 signs with both the my FootDr Queensland Bulls and Konica Minolta Queensland Imparja Cup 18 Fire teams finishing their respective seasons strongly. Overall, Queensland teams were runners-up in the Toyota Futures League and Indoor Cricket 19 the National Indigenous Cricket titles, while the Queensland Thunder men’s team Australian Representatives 20 finished second in the national indoor titles. Country Championships 21 Plenty of talent was exposed in the process. The Bulls handed debuts to Scott Henry, Sam Heazlett, Billy Stanlake and Mitchell Swepson, with Henry and Heazlett Queensland Representatives Pathway 22 scoring centuries on debut for Queensland. Obituaries 24 Individually, highlights came from Queensland’s two Test players Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns in the home summer. Queensland Cricket Life Members 26 Burns stood tall on the biggest sporting arena in cricket with a Boxing Day Test Sponsors 27 hundred against the West Indies at the MCG, followed by 170 against the Black Scoresheets & Statistics Caps in New Zealand. Khawaja was red-hot in the Test arena. It started with a superb 174 at the Gabba for International Matches 28 his maiden Test hundred, as he used that to springboard to a total of four centuries Sheffield Shield 29 in the summer, three of them against New Zealand, for a total of 644 runs at an average of 128.80 from five games. Matador Cup 33 Later in the summer, Chris Lynn and Cam Boyce played T20 Internationals against KFC T20 Big Bash League 35 India in a run-packed series. Burns also made his One Day International debut while Bulls captain Khawaja made his T20I debut. Toyota Futures League 37 Queenslanders were well represented in the Southern Stars squad during the year. Women 39 Jess Jonassen made her Test debut, scoring 99 along the way in the Ashes series Grade 43 and Grace Harris and Beth Mooney both made their ODI and T20I debuts for the Southern Stars, along with pace bowler Holly Ferling. Office Bearers 49 The Queensland Fire welcomed pace bowler Kara Sutherland while tennis recruit Auditors’ Report 50 Ash Barty also made her WNCL debut prior to turning out for the WBBL Brisbane Financial Statements 59 Heat. Captain Delissa Kimnince scored her first WNCL century for the Fire during the summer. Former Bulls captain James Hopes became the 15th Queenslander to join the 100 Club for playing 100 or more first class games for his State, the milestone coming in his final season. Wicket-keeper Chris Hartley produced another noteworthy summer, and was the only Queenslander named in the Sheffield Shield All Stars line-up after another dependable turn. He captained the Bulls to within sight of the Shield Final in Khawaja’s absence, scoring 529 runs at 44.08 and taking 35 catches, in the process becoming Queensland’s all-time leader in dismissals by a wicket-keeper and the first player to take 500 catches in Australian cricket Chris Hartley on the way to his record mark of 500 history. Delissa Kimmince celebrates her WNCL century. catches. Queensland Cricket - Annual Report 2015 - 2016 1 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Sport in Australia is undergoing Developments at the grassroots, as watched club of the regular home and another of the periodic transformations outlined elsewhere in this Annual away season after achieving this feat in that shape the future directions and Report, reflect the enormous potential BBL|04, with an average TV audience of decisions of administrators and Boards available to cricket as we embark on 1,087,274 watching every match. involved in their respective games. greater development of the sport for Season membership has more than The confident rise and acceptance of girls and women. doubled from 2,980 members in women in sport is one that many have The ground-breaking efforts of the BBL|04 to 6,001 members in BBL|05. embraced, both within the sporting Konica Minolta Queensland Fire, Membership revenue is also at record “industry” and the members of the (the first State women’s team to have levels and has increased by 88% on last public who support the various sports. a major sponsor and team identity season. Cricket is well placed to benefit from created more than 15 years ago), meant That the Heat can find itself in such the growth in acceptance of elite the Queensland Cricket was more a position after the first five years in female sport, with the successful than prepared to back the potential of existence is a credit to all involved in launch of the inaugural Women’s Big the WBBL. In the wash-up of the first the initial set-up and the subsequent Bash League benefitting in part from season, the Board was complimentary management and strategic intent of the the hard work that has delivered a of the hard work by staff and Directors and staff. high public and media profile for the management to achieve the outcomes that we did. In that vein, I wish to formally thank Linc Australian Southern Stars over the past Energy for their enthusiastic backing decade. Indeed the BBL continues to expand in of the Heat through that five-year In Queensland, we saw this reflected terms of its influence, both on us as a period. To commit to a new and largely in the successful creation of the WBBL Board and on Queensland Cricket as an untested concept before the first Brisbane Heat and integration of a organization. season of BBL speaks volumes for their “two-team, one-club” approach that is The numbers for the Brisbane Heat vision and resilience. helping to drive awareness and growth were truly exceptional in 2015-16. The It is also appropriate to formally of females in cricket. total attendance of 117,411 is the most welcome the new principal partner The WBBL Heat team may not have across four home games in the history of the Brisbane Heat, CUA, to the made the finals, but their success of the Brisbane Heat, breaking the old Queensland Cricket family. This came in the following that has been record by 17% from BBL|04 (100,107). partnership promises to deliver many generated in less than a year. TV This included a new domestic crowd benefits for our game and we are audiences for WBBL Heat matches were record at the Gabba on January 8th delighted to work with them on a in excess of 250k viewers on ONE HD 2016 – (Brisbane Heat v Adelaide number of exciting initiatives. Strikers) – with a crowd of 33,783. while more than 2,500 people attended Likewise, the WBBL Brisbane Heat the WBBL / BBL curtain raiser at the TV viewership has grown by 8% and were supported over and above Gabba on 19 December. the Brisbane Heat were again the most the usual sponsorship parameters Australian reps Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns. Jess Jonassen after winning player of the match in her Test debut. 2 Queensland Cricket - Annual Report 2015 - 2016 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT by EPIC Pharmacy. They are to be Queensland Cricket a world-class to the buoyant triumph of the congratulated on their extended sporting organization. Geoff oversaw Queensland Under-17 team in the support of coach Andy Richards and a period of significant change, and his national championships, our State, the players. insights helped us to prioritize and then Youth, Indoor, Country, Indigenous My focusing on the BBL and the Heat resource key areas of our business. and BBL teams played competitive and so far has been somewhat deliberate. By emphasizing accountability, entertaining cricket. Australian Cricket is steadily moving excellence, integrity and teamwork, together under the “OneTeam” Geoff certainly helped Queensland HOW OUR philosophy as we pursue the common Cricket to achieve the sort of financial goals of cricket being Australia’s and cultural advances that have been TEAMS FARED favourite sport and a sport for all made in recent years. Australians. The BBL and WBBL is one Under his direction, our financial MY FOOTDR of the vehicles that will enable us to outcomes have been strong while QUEENSLAND BULLS embrace our shared vision, even while he worked diligently to enhance and Sheffield Shield – 4th providing States with a business that grow strong relationships with our key Matador BBQs One-Day Cup – 6th can be enhanced and developed to stakeholders assist State-based growth. BRISBANE HEAT We were pleased to appoint Michael KFC Big Bash League – 6th The Heat’s performance in this will Kasprowicz as the interim CEO while Rebel Women’s Big Bash League see a degree of reinvestment into the we began the process of identifying – 6th business, with Queensland Cricket the person who we will back to deliver aiming to do more, with more.