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Jonassen's story underlines changed landscape

Southern Star Jess Jonassen compares her own cricketing journey with the avenues open to young girls today

Australia spinner Jess Jonassen has celebrated the progress that Australian cricket has made in attracting young girls to play and love the sport she fell into as a school student in regional Queensland.

Currently in England as part of Australia’s Ashes squad, 26-year-old Jonassen reflected on the benefits of today’s vastly different cricketing landscape.

"Back in Rockhampton, I was the one of the only girls playing at that time,” Jonassen told cricket.com.au in Loughborough during the week.

"I was fortunate enough to start cricket through school. Now there’s the benefit of having so many all-girls teams.”

One of the biggest success stories revealed in the 2018-19 Australian Cricket Census today was around the leap in female participation across the country.

In 2018-19, registered female participation grew by 14 per cent, with 873 new girls’ teams coming to fruition within Australian cricket clubs.

"It was something that I was never exposed to, I guess, especially coming from a regional area,” Jonassen said.

"For people to be able to have that option, as well as still play with the boys and against the boys if they want to as well, I think that’s just an added benefit going forward.”

Females now make up 30 per cent of all cricket participants in Australia.

Kieran McMillan, Cricket Australia’s Acting Executive General Manager of Community Cricket, said the progress made in the female participation space is particularly significant to cricket’s long-term goal to be Australia’s leading sport for women and girls.

"With a world champion team, an action-packed and standalone Women’s Big Bash League and the T20 World Cup coming up this summer, the opportunity to inspire the next generation of girls is huge,” McMillan said.

Image Id: A0FD013251794A6795C4CB7E41CBABC0 Image Caption: The WBBL has helped increase girls participation // Getty

Jonassen – who is part of the current generation of Australian players inspiring a love of the game – is equally excited about the direction of Australian cricket.

With a standalone WBBL commencing in October, followed by the T20 World Cup in Australia starting in February next year, the momentum surrounding the women’s game is certain to build as these landmark events approach.

"It’s something that’s really exciting that we’re seeing the growth of the game not only at the top level, but down to the grassroots level as well,” Jonassen said.