Dandenong coach Warren Ayres may make a cameo appearance in his club’s bushfire appeal match against the Dandenong District Cricket Association at Shepley Oval next Wednesday night. 13158By Marc McGowan
DANDENONG Cricket Club and the Dandenong District Cricket Association will face off next Wednesday night in support of Victoria’s bushfire victims.
The combatants played their annual clash this month, but will meet again in a Twenty20 fixture at Dandenong’s Shepley Oval to raise money for the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal.
Entry is free, but officials will ask spectators to donate a gold coin to the cause.
DDCA president Mick Hawking, who grew up in Rutherglen, hopes whatever money is raised from the charity match can make a difference.
“Everyone wants to contribute to this appeal. Besides private and club donations, this is the only real tangible way we can support it,” he said. “The best way to do that is to play a cricket match and we’ll try and get some support for it.
“Being from the country, you get to appreciate what a bushfire is about, but you’ll never get to appreciate how bad this one was – that’s as bad as it gets.”
Dandenong cricket legend and Premier Cricket all-time leading run-scorer Warren Ayres shares Hawking’s sentiments.
“A lot of other places are doing things, so, rather than leave it to everyone else, we thought we’d try and do something, too,” he said. “I’ve been lucky enough not to have anyone involved, but I’m sure there are people at the club who have. I think the whole Australian community are trying to do something and we’re just one small part.”
Ayres is not sure of the make up of his team yet, but hinted that he may make a cameo appearance.
“We’ll just see who’s available and who’s not. I think somebody was asking me to play, so you never know,” he said. “I just hope we get plenty of support from the DDCA community and they come down and give some sort of donation to the night.”
Dandenong defeated the DDCA by 96 runs at Shepley Oval this month, but Hawking feels the Panthers may still be licking their wounds from previous years.
“We’ve won four out of the last five anyway, so maybe they’re still looking for revenge,” he said. “We’re just appealing for people to get down there and, if they haven’t already done so, come down with the expectancy to be asked to contribute.”
The match at Shepley Oval, Pultney Street, Dandenong, starts at 5.15pm next Wednesday.
There will be raffles, a sausage sizzle and the canteen and bar will be open.
All profits will go to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal.
