The Bulls Masters Tour of Bundaberg in early March was one of the more anticipated tours in recent memory. With legends of cricket including current Brisbane Heat captain, Chris Lynn, former Australian coach, Darren Lehmann, Andrew Symonds, Carl Rackemann to name a few, plus Brisbane Bronco legends Allan Langer and Andrew Gee it was easy to see why expectations were high for a good result.
Add into the equation that former Australian Diamonds and Queensland Firebirds captain, Laura Geitz joined the tour as a speaking guest for the Gala Dinner and you’ve got plenty to get excited about.
The dinner at the Bundaberg Civic Centre was sold out, with more than 360 people turning out to hear the stories of some our state’s finest ever sportsmen. Laura Geitz got a standing ovation as she made her way on stage to tell rare, first-hand stories about some of the biggest moments in her life, both on the court and in her private life.
Chris Lynn and Darren Lehmann then had their turn to entertain the crowd with tales of good and bad times gone by. They also shared their insights into the current state of cricket in both Queensland and Australia.
The T20 game on Saturday night, the 2nd of March was always going to have a buzz about it after last year, the Bulls Masters chased down the locals score on the final ball of the game. This year, the Bundaberg Mayor’s XI had a point to prove.
It looked like the Bulls Masters were headed for another big win after Nathan Reardon and Jimmy Maher both fired for the old timers. Maher ended up retiring on 75 as the Bulls Masters set the locals an imposing chase of 181.
Bundaberg’s Sean Stuchbery led the way for the Mayor’s XI run chase and they got the runs easily with an over to spare.
The real win was the whopping cheque for $50,109.50 that Bulls Masters managing director, Jimmy Maher handed over from the proceeds of the tour to BCA’s Shaun Rose.
“Bundaberg Cricket has made significant steps forward this year and really looking forward to the future and continuing to grow the game in the region”, Shaun Rose said.
“These funds will massively help with Capital Expenditure Program that the BCA has adopted this year to improve facilities and equipment so more can enjoy this great sport”, Rose added.
“It’s a great thrill for me to come back to Bundaberg, where we have so many fond memories and present this very substantial cheque that we know will be a huge boost to the game in this region”, Jimmy Maher said.
“A massive congratulations must go to Shaun Rose and his team of volunteers who gave up their time and effort to make this tour a big success, and this result is a reflection of their dedication and commitment”, Maher added.
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