University Bulls Cricket Club folds following insufficient funding and volunteer shortage

Members of a Darwin cricket club that was forced to fold after more than 25 years because of lack of volunteers and funding got together for one last event. Read the latest.

The University Bulls Cricket Club had one last hurrah on the weekend celebrating more than 25 years on the Darwin cricket scene.

The transient club decided to fold after suffering from a lack of volunteers and being threatened with losing its CDU funding if it merged with another club.

Life member Matt Stevens invited members and former players to come down for one last hit out on Saturday, following news the club would shut its doors.

However, it wasn’t just his club he was fearful of folding, suspecting other clubs could go under in the near future due to similar lack of volunteers.

“A lack of volunteers is one of the main reasons for us folding,” he said.

“I would not be surprised in the near future if other clubs also go under. A lack of volunteers nowadays is an issue for all clubs.

“It’s not just us that have suffered from a lack of volunteers, and it’s not just cricket that is experiencing this at the moment, but many of the sports codes up here.”

An NT cricket club has been forced to fold.

NT Cricket chief executive Gavin Dovey said the peak body was disappointed the club had made the decision to fold in light of lacking volunteers.

“There will be a lot of people who currently play for the club or who have played for the club previously who will have invested a lot of themselves into the place,” Dovey said.

“Running, managing, and sustaining sporting clubs can be very challenging. Around Australia you see both community and professional sporting clubs folding from time to time. It’s hard.

“In recent times it appears the club has encountered a number of challenges, in particular a very transient membership base and a lack of volunteers that are critical to community sporting clubs.

“They don’t have established sporting facilities and infrastructure, and they don’t have juniors and parents who are often the lifeblood, fabric, and future of your club.”

Dovey said NT Cricket had helped the club in a number of ways in light of their volunteer troubles, offering advice on governance and curating Alawa Oval.

However, he said he was unclear how much support the Bulls had received from the university, which had threatened to cut funding if they merged with another club.

“In my experience, having been president of a University Sporting Club in Canberra, you need a really supportive and active student association behind you,” he said.

“NT Cricket has attempted to help the current UCC President Aayush Sapkota navigate some of the challenges.

“Lachlan Baird (NT Cricket Board Director) in particular has been a great support and sounding board for the club, and we took over curation of Alawa Oval for the club last year when CDU handed the ground back to City of Darwin.”

Embattled NT cricket club folds after denying closure rumours

The University Bulls Cricket Club has announced it is folding due to insufficient funding, despite previously denying rumours it would.

University Bulls life member Matt Stevens posted on the club’s Facebook page stating the club had been forced to fold following discontinued funding and lack of interest from other clubs to merge.

It comes after rumours the club had been seeking to merge with other clubs in the Darwin area including the Nightcliff Cricket Club and Waratah Cricket Club.

University Bulls Cricket Club won the D Grade premiership in 2022. Picture: University Bulls Cricket Club.

“It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing today that the University Bulls Cricket Club is winding up after more than 25 years in existence,” the post read.

“This has come about due to a few factors including discontinued funding from CDU Students Association and a lack of support from CDU, who now lose affiliation with a cricket club.

“Changing demographics of membership leading to a lack of volunteers prepared to administer the club and maintain the club infrastructure.

“And other Darwin clubs are now not interested in merging with the club, due to discontinued funding from CDU Students Association.”

As per the NT Cricket and University Cricket Club constitutions, all of the club’s assets, including cricket nets, shed, grandstands, bank balance, pitch roller and mowers will be handed to NT Cricket.

It comes just over a month since club president Aayush Sapkota told this publication the club had “big plans for the future”, which did not include folding.

“Plans are in the works and they will only make us bigger and better,” Sapkota said at the time.

Originally published as University Bulls Cricket Club folds following insufficient funding and volunteer shortage