North Sydney Oval upgrade to be home of women’s cricket and help Bears return to the NRL

A $6 million election promise to upgrade North Sydney Oval would make it the home of women’s cricket in NSW and propel the mighty Bears’ bid to re-enter the NRL to the next level.

North Sydney has a lot riding the outcome of the election with the Liberals vowing to fund a multimillion dollar upgrade of the hallowed oval which would pay huge dividends for women’s cricket and the Bears’ bid to return to the NRL.

Sitting Liberal member Trent Zimmerman took to the field with Minister for Women Marise Payne today (May 5) to announce $6 million in funding would be dedicated to upgrading the surface, public amenities and athlete facilities as well installing professional broadcasting infrastructure.

The funding is contingent on the re-election of the Morrison government.

The NSW Breakers have gone from strength to strength.

Cricket NSW Lee Germon was also there along with members of the hugely successful NSW Breakers team.

“Women’s cricket is growing and launching into the stratosphere,” Germon said.

“We’ve got a fantastic women’s Breakers side – I believe they’ve won 20 out of 25 national titles. We’ve got two wonderful WBBL sides and the Sixers and Thunder who love playing here and they’ll love it even more thanks to your commitment.”

Breakers captain Sammy-Jo Johnson said as professional athlete of a decade she was thrilled that in recent years women’s cricket had come to the fore.

“This is going to make it even better to enhance the game and that experience of bringing bat to ball,” Johnson said.

Gary Larson (ball) looks for support during North Sydney Bears v Balmain Tigers NRL game at North Sydney Oval in 1999.

Bears chairman Daniel Dickson said the club would also be eagerly awaiting the upgrade.

“Far from taking away from the great announcement for Cricket NSW and especially women’s cricket, this is the home of the Bears for us so any enhancements, any developments or injections into the ground is great for us,” Dickson said.

“We’re going through a very good process at the moment of trying to get the Bears back in the NRL and that will only help our bid.”

Dickson said the club was energised by their bid to retake their rightful place in the NRL.

North Sydney MP Trent Zimmerman and Minister for Women Marise Payne met with users of the oval.

“This would be an enormous injection for the Bears and their potential return as the 18th team,” Dickson said.

“Any enhancements to this historic ground would match the history of the Bears and their 114 years.”

Zimmerman said the funds would be granted to North Sydney council who already had well developed plans for the future of the oval which had not been resurfaced in more than three decades.

The Liberal MP said between the opportunity for women’s cricket and the shared use by other stakeholders including the Bears, the funds would have a dramatic impact.

“It’s wrong they (the Bears) were kicked out and it’s time to bring them back,” Zimmerman said.