The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) has signed a five-year agreement with the Shandong Cricket Association(SCA) to help grow the sport within China.

This news follows a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed during April between AFL club Port Adelaide and its new Chinese sponsor. This deal includes Chinese cricketers and coaches competing and training in South Australia.

As SACA policy manager Ben Page said, this was the first partnership of its kind in Australia.

"This is a landmark agreement. We have to work through what this will mean for South Australian cricket but it's just the beginning," Page said, "We'll be supporting their staffers, sharing expertise and improving the cricket technique of the Chinese cricketers."

“SCA’s first appearance will be the Shandong under 20s women's team, which will tour Adelaide in September,” says an ABC report.

At the same time, the South Australian Government has finalized a sister state relationship with the Shandong Government.

Source: abc.net.au

Proofread by Sean O Diobhilin