SYDNEY: Cricket Australia on Thursday reported a strong financial position ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand early next year.

Revenue of almost Aus$300 million (USD262 million) is expected to grow to Aus$360 million (USD315 million) by the end of this southern summer season, CA said.

Over CA's four-year reporting cycle that spans from 2013-14 to 2016-17, revenue will climb to a projected Aus$1.22 billion (USD1.07 billion), up from Aus$736 million in the previous four-year period.

CA explained that cricket revenue is recorded over four-year periods due to the sometimes significant annual fluctuations in income depending on the teams touring Australia.

The organisation said it has “never been in better health” and will invest Aus$30 million into key strategic projects, including several grassroots programmes around the country.

And CA CEO James Sutherland said cricket has never been more popular in Australia.

“From a fan's point of view, last summer's 5-0 Ashes whitewash (of England), a world record crowd of 91,112 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day, 1.7 million people through the turnstiles to watch cricket over the summer and huge average national TV audiences, are measures which all show the Australian public loves cricket,” Sutherland said.

He voiced confidence the ICC World Cup from February to March next year will further lift the profile of cricket in Australia.

“I am confident the World Cup, culminating in the March 29 final at the MCG, will be a far bigger event than most Australians expect,” he said.