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.ย
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 stateโs regional and remote clubs.ย ย
Mandy Sly, Executive – Retail Distribution, Homestar Finance, said:ย ย
โSport creates positive lasting change for communities. Thatโs 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.โฏWe hope to see the love of the national game continue to grow and foster the new generation of sport lovers.โย
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.ย ย
The clubs that were supported were:ย ย
- Batemans Bay Cricket Clubย
- Bonny Hills Lake Cathie Cricket Clubย
- Bowral Cricket clubย
- Dungog Cricket Clubย
- Goonellabah Workers Sports Cricket Clubย
- Great Lakes Junior Cricket Clubย
- Hill Top Northern Villages Cricket Clubย
- Kooringal Colts Cricket Clubย
- Maitland City United Cricket Clubย
- North Nowra Cambewarra Cricket Clubย
- Oak Flats Cricket Clubย
- Pambula Bluedogs Cricket Clubย
- Piranhas Cricket Clubย
- Raymond Terrace District Cricket Clubย
- Ulladulla United cricket clubย
- Wauchope RSL Cricket Clubย
- Wollondilly Cricket Clubย
The messages to clubs announcing the donations put a smile on our volunteerโs faces.ย ย
Trent Lobb from Wauchope Cricket Club said:ย
โI, 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 Foundationโs โCricket Balls for Community Clubsโ initiative.ย ย
โWe 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.โย ย
Jake Balnave, Head of the Foundation, said:ย ย
โWe 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.ย
“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.โย ย
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