UNSW legend Alex Blackwell to play in Bushfire Cricket Bash

The Bushfire Cricket Bash will see an illustrious group of retired cricket legends gather to play a special match to raise money for the Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery to support the recovery effort from an unprecedented summer of bushfires. As fires continue to burn across the country, the recovery project will be long and tough and every cent will be needed to support those affected.

The two teams will be captained by former Australian superstars Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne, with a host of other cricketing heroes already named to take part, including Michael Clarke, Justin Langer, Shane Watson, Adam Gilchrist and Brett Lee. Key among the names is UNSW alumna and Alex Blackwell.

One of Australia’s most successful ever cricketers, Alex Blackwell played 12 Test matches, 144 One Day Internationals and 95 T20 Internationals for her country. Third on the list of Australia’s one-day run scorers behind Belinda Clark and Karen Rolton, Blackwell is second in T20 runs for Australia behind only Meg Lanning.

View this post on Instagram

 

 

A BushFire Relief Charity Cricket match was announced today by Cricket Australia. These two legends will captain the teams who will play a curtain raiser to the @bbl Final on Saturday February 8th. They can fight over which side I play for! This will be a massive day of cricket with @auswomencricket playing at T20 earlier in the day against India. All match day profits and funds raised across the day will go to @redcrossau Disaster Relief & Recovery Fund. Given Brett Lee is playing I’ll need to crank up the bowling machine over the next few weeks! #bushfiresaustralia #BushFireCricketBash #redcross

A post shared by Alex Blackwell (@alexjoyblackwell) on Jan 11, 2020 at 9:47pm PST

Ponting suggested the likes of former India captains Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni and West Indies legend Brian Lara have been approached, with the two skippers set to call in some favours to stack the teams with as many high-profile men's and women's players and celebrities as possible.

"As soon as I got the call from (Cricket Australia CEO) Kev Roberts I couldn't put my hand up quick enough just to be able to be involved," Ponting said. 

"It's up to us now to drag as many of our mates into it as well and hopefully we can get some quite contemporary players to be part of the day. It is going to be a hugely special day."

The match will take place on Saturday 8 February at a location to be decided. Currently the Melbourne Stars are in pole position to host the BBL final and thus the charity game, sitting four points clear at the top of the ladder, but the Sydney Sixers could make a late charge to bring it to the Sydney Cricket Ground with Australian stars Steve Smith and Nathan Lyon set to come into the team after the ODI tour of India.

UNSW alumna and Australian cricket legend Alex Blackwell will join a host of other stars for the Bushfire Cricket Bash on Saturday 8 February.