General News
20 November, 2022
Epic cricket coming to Cairns in December
THE Brisbane Heat will take on the Melbourne Renegades at Cazalys Stadium on Thursday, December 15 as part of the KFC Big Bash League.
This will be the first time the Heat club has played a BBL match in Cairns and to celebrate this debut a Late Lunch was also announced with a panel of cricketing royalty to hype the fans up for the big game.
Queensland Cricket and Brisbane Heat CEO Terry Svenson said the announcement that the BBL would go to Far North Queensland was the culmination of many years of patient groundwork by all involved.
“Queensland Cricket has been resolute in its ambition to bring more elite level cricket to regional Queensland for many years,’’ Svenson said.
“We have been backed extensively in this regard by our stakeholders, and in this case, the Cairns Regional Council and Cricket Far North have joined with us and AFL Cairns to deliver a ground-breaking initiative for the region.
“AFL Cairns have provided excellent support as we collaborated on the proposal to bring a BBL game to Cazalys, and we have been grateful for the backing of Cricket Australia and especially our broadcast partners Channel 7 and Foxtel to make this a reality.”
“Of course, we congratulate and thank the Cairns Regional Council for their outstanding commitment and look forward to bringing the best of the BBL to Cairns and FNQ these summer holidays,” he said.
Svenson said the team is very excited to bring elite cricket to Cairns.
“The Brisbane Heat’s purpose is to bring families together and to promote cricket to kids and new audiences, so the prospect of giving thousands of North Queensland kids the opportunity to see their heroes perform live, and hopefully inspire them to then to pick up a bat and ball, is one that greatly excites us,” he said.
Cricket fans will get even more excitement with the announcement of the Late Lunch on December 15, prior to the game where cricketing legends Ian Healy and Rodney Hogg will cater to the fans appetites.
The Lunch will be emceed by local radio icon Tammy Barker. The Late Lunch will have a direct benefit to the local cricketing community, with part of the funds raised going into the Queensland Cricket Foundation to support projects and initiatives that create positive differences in Queensland communities.
Tickets are available from $250pp which includes a 4-hour pre-game drinks package, a two-course lunch, and grandstand ticket to the Heat vs Renegades match, with tickets available from Ticketek.
Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said this was an exciting occasion for Far North Queenslanders.
“To be the first regional centre in Queensland to host Big Bash League fixtures is quite a coup and speaks volumes of what Cairns has to offer,’’ Cr Manning said.
“Certainly, Cazalys has been, and remains, the best cricket ground in regional Australia, and I am pleased to see that we will have some of the world’s top players here in December for the BBL.
“I know we will all be looking forward to seeing the big hitters from the Brisbane Heat taking to the Cazalys ground, and the way some of these players hit the balls these days, I’m pretty sure it won’t be long before we see a ball or two clear the crowd.
“Of course, staging one of the country’s most popular sporting competitions has many benefits, from the immediate economic boost to the opportunity to showcase our region to a wider audience. But I always say that these events are all about the kids,” he said.
“Meeting your sporting heroes and watching them play is something that will stick with these kids for their lifetime.”
To purchase tickets for the BBL|12 Brisbane Heat v Melbourne Renegades game and/or the Late Lunch, visit http://bit.ly/3GoFhSw or search for Brisbane Heat on ticketek.
