Australian cricket greats Greg Matthews, Julia Price and current Melbourne Renegade, Josh Lalor, are just some of the exciting names set to be part of the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) Masters Tour coming to Armidale on February 25 and 26 2021.
Armidale Regional Council Mayor Cr. Ian Tiley was joined by the Armidale District Cricket Association this morning to officially announce the latest players headlining the event set to be a major boost to the region.
"This event will be the largest the region has seen in a long time and will greatly benefit the entire community," he said.
"Whether it's through providing opportunities to local cricketers or giving local businesses an economic boost, this event will certainly be one to remember for the whole region."
The selected masters will play a T20 match against the local representative cricket side, and a $1000 scholarship will be awarded to one talented local player, which will include the unique opportunity to receive mentoring from one of the Masters players after the tour.
Mike Porter from the Armidale District Cricket Association said this is an amazing opportunity for one of the region's best up and coming players.
"This kind of opportunity doesn't come up very often in regional areas, so we are very lucky that one of our players will be able to receive this support from legends of the game," he said.
Kelly Applebee, ACA General Manager – Member Programs and Relations said the association is excited to help out the local cricket scene.
"The ACA is excited to bring its Masters program to Armidale and Inverell and give back to a community which was impacted by the bushfires last summer," she said.
"Our players place an enormous emphasis on helping out the community and we're looking forward to connecting with local cricket clubs and community members, and the tour will also provide a unique opportunity for local families to rub shoulders with some greats of the game."
The high calibre talent set to descend upon the city will be hosting coaching clinics for school children, and will play a T20 match against Armidale's representative cricket side on the Friday. Entry will be a gold coin fee.
In addition to this, there will be the Sporties Night meet and greet at the Armidale City Golf Club on the Thursday night, with entry free for under 18 year olds, and just $5. All proceeds will go to the Armidale District Cricket Association. There will also be a causal golf morning with the Masters on the Friday.
COVID-19 safety measures will be in place at all events, and numbers will be capped at 3000 people at the unticketed T20 match. Numbers will also be limited at the Sporties night, and tickets can be purchased online through trybooking.com. Posters will be put up around town with a QR code linking to the site for ticket purchases.
More players will be announced in the lead up to the event.
Information on the Masters already announced:
Julia Price – Julia Price is a two-time World Cup champion, winning in both 1997 and 2005. The wicketkeeper-batter played 94 international games for Australia over a ten year period, which also yielded over 100 games for Queensland. In 2019, she became the first female to coach in men's BBL, as assistant to the Brisbane Heat. She is the current head coach of the USA Women's Cricket Team.
Josh Lalor - Left-arm quick Josh Lalor is currently contracted to the Melbourne Renegades, playing seven games during BB10. Having made his first-class debut in 2011 for New South Wales, Lalor has represented Australia A and joined the Renegades this season after a long stint with Brisbane Heat. During the Australian Cricket Awards, Lalor was presented with the Community Impact Award for his work on Reflect Forward, a joint movement between racism education company One Love Australia and the Australian sports industry.
Greg Matthews - Greg Matthews is an icon of Australian cricket. His charismatic nature and extravagance on the field elevated him to cult-hero status. 'Mo,' as he is more commonly known, played 33 Test matches and 59 ODI's for Australia through the 1980s and 1990s. Matthews holds NSW's record for most matches and wickets taken and has four Test centuries to his name.
Mark Cosgrove - Powerful batter Mark Cosgrove played three One Day Internationals for Australia during his 221-game first-class career. The South Australian legend also played for Tasmania and the Sydney Sixers and spent a number of seasons in England's Country Championship with Leicestershire.
Jason Krezja - New South Wales off-spinner Jason Krezja played two Test matches, taking a remarkable 12 wickets in what would be his final red ball game for Australia. Krezja also played eight One Day Internationals in Australian colours over a ten-year professional cricket career.
Scott Coyte - Former New South Wales and Sydney Thunder bowler Scott Coyte represented Australia at the Under-19 World Cup in 2004 and last played for the Sydney Thunder in 2014.
EVENTS:
'Sporties' Function Night with the Masters
Thursday 25 Feb, 6PM - 8PM, Armidale City Bowling Club, Entry: $5PP | U18 free
Golf with the Masters
Friday 26 Feb, 9AM-12PM, 9 Hole Ambrose
T20 Match vs Armidale & District Cricket Association
Friday 26 Feb, Armidale Sportsground, 6PM
Primary School Clinic
Friday 26 Feb. 2PM - 4PM, Armidale Sportsground
