Photo Credit: Cricket NSW
Kids throughout the state will get to meet some of their cricketing heroes next week when players from the NSW Blues and Breakers, Sydney Sixers and Thunder, travel far and wide encouraging youngsters to play and love cricket.
The Country Blitz, Cricket NSW’s annual three-day regional engagement tour, has been an online event for the past two years but will return to face-to-face activities from August 29-31, with 37 elite cricket players visiting schools, clubs and community groups from Kingscliff to Newcastle and Merimbula, and out to places like Albury, Narromine and Tamworth.
All up the players will visit 115 schools, clubs and other community events in 73 towns across NSW.
Players will also visit the Illawarra as part of the NSW Blues’ Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia in Wollongong that begins on October 31.
Kids will be able to try fun and friendly cricket activities, meet their heroes and sign up to play cricket this summer.
REGISTRATIONS TO PLAY CRICKET THIS SUMMER ARE OPEN — SIGN UP HERE.
Included amongst those players visiting the 13 regional areas are Australian representatives like Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques, Trent Copeland, Hannah Darlington, Lauren Cheatle and Stella Campbell, along with rising stars such as Ollie Davies, Jason Sangha and Phoebe Litchfield.
Copeland, who was born and raised in Bathurst before moving to Sydney to pursue a cricket career that has since seen him play three Tests for his country and more than 100 matches for NSW, said the chance for the professional players to get out into the country was priceless.
“Being a country boy myself, I understand how important it is for young girls and boys from regional areas to be able to have access to what kids in the city do when it comes to sport,” Copeland said.
“The Country Blitz gives kids a chance to try cricket and have the fun we all experienced when we started out that has now driven a lifelong love of the game and friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Cricket NSW CEO Lee Germon said country areas represented the heartland of cricket in the state.
“The pipeline of wonderful cricketers to come from regional areas to represent NSW and Australia over the years is incredible but the Country Blitz is less about finding elite talent and more about inspiring young regional kids to play and love cricket,” Germon said.
“If a visit from one of their heroes can encourage kids to pick up a bat and a ball and grow the game around the state, where it’s such a popular fun game, then cricket will be in a healthier position.”
Name of Author: Cricket NSW
Cricket NSW, officially the New South Wales Cricket Association, is the governing body for cricket in New South Wales, Australia. Based at Sydney Olympic Park, it oversees the New South Wales Blues, New South Wales Breakers, Sydney Thunder, and Sydney Sixers.
