Beach cricket leads to national director

A childhood filled with beach and backyard cricket at Wallington sparked a lifelong love of the game in the sport’s first female national director.
Cricket Australia’s Jacquie Hey told the Independent about her “lovely and uncomplicated life” growing up in Wallington.
“There was zero to do except for sport – tennis, cricket and football. We used to go to Ocean Grove regularly and take the cricket sets to the beach.
“If we didn’t have stumps we’d use the seaweed.”
Ms Hey, a former managing director of Ericsson in four countries, was elected last month as Cricket Australia’s first female director in its 107-year history.
“I’m not on the board because of extensive cricketing skills but I’ve always loved the game.
“Being a woman also means at the front of my mind will be how to engage women in cricket. I’m also a mum, so will be thinking about how do we get kids into cricket.”
Former Cricket Australia chairman and Borough of Queenscliffe councillor Bob Merriman was confident Ms Hey could perform the “challenging” job.
“I don’t think it’s a sign of progress, it’s a sign that given the opportunity the best person for the job has been selected.”