Gabba to host MCC project

The XXXX Queensland Bulls opening ING Cup match of the season against Tasmania at the Gabba on Saturday will double as a public celebration of the Multi-Cultural Cricket project.

The pilot "MCC" program was conducted at Macgregor, Durack, Warrigal Road, Darra, Riverview, Inala, Goodna and Dinmore State Schools last season and involved 240 children, as well as a number of volunteer coaches.

It was aimed at introducing cricket to children from non-traditional cricket backgrounds and utilised aspects of the successful Milo Have-A-Go program. There were 24 different nationalities represented in the program including children of Chinese, Vietnamese, Samoan, Tongan, and Aboriginal and Islander backgrounds.

It was made possible through a Living in Harmony community grant to Queensland Cricket as part of the Federal Government's Living in Harmony initiative.

Saturday's promotion will recognise the introduction of the "MCC" project, as well as a number of initiatives conducted by Queensland Cricket and Cricket Australia to increase the interest and participation in cricket from non-traditional cricket backgrounds and indigenous communities.

Children and coaches from the pilot MCC program will take part in on-field displays during the main break of the match.

Additionally, the Federal Minister for Citizenship and Multi-Cultural Affairs, the Hon Gary Hardgrave MP, will announce the inaugural Indigenous Cricket Advisory Committee - Queensland (ICACQ) during the break, which is scheduled to run from 1.30pm to 2pm.

As part of the day, a naturalisation ceremony involving the Minister and more than 150 people will also take place in the Gabba Room at the ground.

Tickets for the match were made available to a number of community cultural groups and the parents and children involved in the MCC Project.

Queensland Cricket Chief Executive Officer Graham Dixon said cricket as a sport had much to offer Australians from non-traditional cricket backgrounds.

"Cricket draws heavily from the community through the army of volunteers who are so essential to ensuring cricket is Australia's favourite summer sport," he said.

"One of the messages that we are promoting is that cricket is the Australian game for all Australians and through programs like the Multi-Cultural Cricket project, we can hopefully introduce the sport to children and parents alike who might not have encountered it," Dixon said.

"Queensland Cricket and Cricket Australia have identified non-traditional cricket backgrounds and the ingenious communities as among those areas where we have to work harder as a sport to develop.

"We have made a number of initiatives in this are, including promoting Milo Have-A-Go cricket in Torres Strait through the Eddie Gilbert Program, which has made some promising progress in indigenous communities in Far North Queensland."

"The formation of the first Indigenous Cricket Advisory Committee - Queensland will also assist the growth of the sport at the grassroots", he said.

Dixon said Queensland Cricket teams in the past had been culturally-diverse, with the current Bulls squad containing players from a range of different backgrounds.

Opening batsman Daniel Payne has Japanese, Javanese, Aboriginal and Greek ancestry while injured pace bowler Scott Brant is originally from Zimbabwe and was granted Australian residency earlier this year.

Saturday's match commences at 10am with gates opening at 9am.

Stuart Law, Daniel Payne, Martin Love (c), Clinton Perren, Lee Carseldine, James Hopes, Wade Seccombe, Nathan Hauritz, Mitchell Johnson, Joe Dawes, Shane Jurgensen, Steve Farrell (12th man to be named).