DOZENS of kids from across the WA farming regions were this month given the opportunity to learn from some of WA’s best sports stars at CSBP’s Home Grown Heroes Cricket Day.
The event was a school holiday highlight for many regionally-based families and CSBP clients, who were invited to the free event at the WA Cricket Association (WACA) grounds on Tuesday, January 16.
Kids aged between eight and 16 were given the rare opportunity to play on the WACA, taking part in skills sessions and mini-cricket matches and meeting their cricket heroes.
Big Bash League (BBL) Perth Scorchers stars Ashton Turner and Jason Behrendorff, Western Warriors bowler Simon Mackin and Women’s Big Bash League Scorchers all-rounder Mathilda Carmichael were on hand at the WACA to give their best cricket tips and sign autographs.
“It’s a great experience for them to come out and play where we get to play just about every week – so there were lots of smiles, lots of sixes, wickets and everything, so it has been great,” Mr Behrendorff said.
A crowd of more than 200 people took part in the event which CSBP’s marketing co-ordinator Kahlia Beers said was a great success.
“It’s the highest number of participants we’ve had in the 12 years we’ve been running the cricket clinics,” Ms Beers said.
“We had clients come as far as Esperance and Geraldton and all areas in-between, it’s in these regional areas that cricket and sport is so important for the sustainability of the community.”
“Sport acts like a forum for all those in regional communities to come together, which is why we’ve partnered with the Scorchers and are running cricket programs.
“It allows us to give back to our customers – at the end of the day our success is because of them.”
The Home Grown Heroes Cricket Day is part of CSBP’s broader partnership with the Perth Scorchers.
More than 60 clients of the fertiliser company have been given passes throughout the BBL season to attend Scorchers home games, with more tickets offered to clients for today’s semi-final.