Australian and English cricketers with a disability will play each other in T20s and ODIs in Brisbane this June
Ashes battle to continue with inclusion series
Australia's top cricketers with a disability will return to the international stage this June with a series against England to be held in Brisbane.
The International Cricket Inclusion Series will be held at the newly built Australian Cricket Campus from June 1-15 and will see Australia's three national disability squads – deaf, blind, and intellectual disability – play five T20Is and three ODI matches.
It marks a long-anticipated return to international cricket for the players, with Australia's intellectual disability squad set to play their first matches since 2019, while the national deaf blind squads have not been in action since 2018.
Despite remaining idle amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the squads have remained fully funded – with support from the Commonwealth Bank – making cricket the first non-Paralympic Australian sport to have fully funded national disability squads.
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Cricket Australia Chief Executive Nick Hockley welcomed the return to play after such a long break.
"Our national disability squads have unfortunately been unable to participate in international competition since the onset of the pandemic, and this Ashes series promises to be a wonderful celebration of cricket and inclusion that renews rivalries and friendships alike," Hockley said in a statement.
"Our national squads for cricketers with a disability are a source of inspiration and I have no doubt this series will motivate more people to get involved in the game, as we work towards our vision to be a sport for all that makes Australians proud.
"Since 2017, each squad has had access to fully funded training camps at the National Cricket Centre, high-performance coaching sessions, online wellbeing and education sessions as well as CA's Athlete Management System ."
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Ian Martin, ECB Head of Disability Cricket echoed Hockley's joy at the resumption of the sport said the English couldn't wait for the series later this year.
"After the hiatus caused by the global pandemic, we very much look forward to seeing international disability cricket back in our calendar," he said.
"We thank Cricket Australia for organising this opportunity for three of our international squads to contest Ashes cricket in what will be a unique celebration of the inclusive nature of our sport."
Selection for the squads will be announced in May, with training camps to be held prior to the series.