Photo Credit: Sydney Thunder
For most cricket clubs, the purchase of cricket balls for all levels of the game is one of the biggest expenses occurred during the cricket season. With that in mind, the Cricket NSW Foundation (the Foundation), with the support of Homestar Finance, delivered a donation of a variety of cricket balls to clubs across NSW, especially where they were needed the most.
Homestar Finance is a long-standing supporter of Sydney Thunder and generously donated $10,000 during the 2023/24 summer, helping the Foundation purchase balls for junior and senior teams in 17 clubs across NSW to give them a head start for the 2024/25 season.
Homestar Finance wants to ensure everyone has the chance to play and love cricket and to hit as many sixes as they can. This initiative was focussed on helping the state’s regional and remote clubs.
Mandy Sly, Executive – Retail Distribution, Homestar Finance, said:
“Sport creates positive lasting change for communities. That’s why Homestar Finance support and encourage participation in community cricket clubs in any way we can, including by donating balls through the Cricket NSW Foundation. We hope to see the love of the national game continue to grow and foster the new generation of sport lovers.”
In November 2023, clubs were asked to make their submissions and the Foundation received over 100 requests. Seventeen clubs were finally chosen for the donations and informed last month.
The clubs that were supported were:
- Batemans Bay Cricket Club
- Bonny Hills Lake Cathie Cricket Club
- Bowral Cricket club
- Dungog Cricket Club
- Goonellabah Workers Sports Cricket Club
- Great Lakes Junior Cricket Club
- Hill Top Northern Villages Cricket Club
- Kooringal Colts Cricket Club
- Maitland City United Cricket Club
- North Nowra Cambewarra Cricket Club
- Oak Flats Cricket Club
- Pambula Bluedogs Cricket Club
- Piranhas Cricket Club
- Raymond Terrace District Cricket Club
- Ulladulla United cricket club
- Wauchope RSL Cricket Club
- Wollondilly Cricket Club
The messages to clubs announcing the donations put a smile on our volunteer’s faces.
Trent Lobb from Wauchope Cricket Club said:
“I, and Wauchope CC, can’t thank everyone involved enough for the donation of balls. Wauchope Cricket Club is very excited and proud to be chosen to be part of the Homestar Finance x CNSW Foundation’s “Cricket Balls for Community Clubs” initiative.
“We thank Homestar Finance for their donation of a mixture of quality cricket balls which will assist our club to reduce costs in our club and allow us to continue to provide our successful services to the community.”
Jake Balnave, Head of the Foundation, said:
“We thank Homestar Finance for their generous donation which has enabled us to purchase a mixture of balls to give our clubs a much-needed boost ahead of next season.
“It is our endeavour at the Cricket NSW Foundation to provide help where it is needed so that every boy, girl, woman and man is able to enjoy the great game of cricket. We know how much of an expense cricket balls are to our clubs, in most cases, the major expense each season. We hope that this donation helps alleviate some financial pressures for these clubs.”
Name of Author: Sydney Thunder
The Sydney Thunder is an Australian professional cricket team competing in the Big Bash League (BBL). Based at Sydney Showground Stadium, the Thunder, along with the Sydney Sixers, succeeded the New South Wales Blues from the defunct KFC Twenty20 Big Bash.
