Cricket in Australia
In 2007, "The Age" reported that a survey by Sweeney Sports had found that 69% of the Australian public have an interest in cricket, second to none. Cricket is often known as Australia's national sport due to its equal popularity in all parts of the country. Cricket is also a mass participation sport in Australia: a census conducted on behalf of Cricket Australia found that in the 2003–04 season there were 471,329 participants in Australian cricket programmes and competitions, including 47,780 female participants.
In 2015–16, a record 1,300,000 Australians played formal, organised cricket during the year, an increase of nine percent over the previous year, making cricket Australia's biggest participant sport.
English cricket team in Australia in 2017–18
The England cricket team toured Australia between November 2017 and February 2018 to play five Tests and five One Day Internationals (ODIs). They also played in a three nation Twenty20 International (T20I) tournament, along with New Zealand, who co-hosted the tournament along with Australia. England additionally played two first-class matches, a two-day tour match and a one-day tour match against Cricket Australia XI, as well as a Twenty20 against the Prime Minister's XI. The Test matches made up the 2017–18 Ashes series, with Australia regaining the Ashes by winning the series 4–0. England won the ODI series 4–1. This was England's first bilateral ODI series win in Australia.