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.
Australian Cricket Society
The Melbourne branch of the Society plays up to 30 friendly games a season for over-40- over 60 and even 70-year-old cricketers. The Society is a founding member of Veterans Cricket Victoria. The Society competed as a stand-alone team at Australian Over 60s Cricket Championships from 2005 to 2016. Many of its players have been selected in Victorian and Australian veterans teams in recent years.