MORE than 100 cricket aficionados from across the Mallee braved the extreme heat in Tempy on the weekend to witness cricket’s World Cup trophy with their own eyes.
Cricket Victoria brought the sport’s most prestigious silverware, won by the Australian one-day-international side 12 months ago, to Tempy on Saturday in a show of support for the small drought-ravaged town, located around 120km west of Swan Hill in Yarriambiack Shire.
Temperatures sweltered as high as 43 degrees Celsius on the day, but it didn’t stop around 105 kids from participating in a junior cricket clinic run by Victorian Bushrangers cricketers Ryan Sidebottom and Chris Harris, and many more turning out to see the trophy.
Local cricket side Tempy Tigers also beat arch-rivals and reigning champions Ouyen Rams in front of a bumper home crowd, cementing its spot in the Red Cliffs Cricket Association finals while also denying Ouyen’s finals hopes.
Tom Huf, Cricket Victoria’s Mallee Murray regional cricket manager, said the day was part of the state cricket association’s tour of drought-affected cricketing communities, beginning in Cohuna the previous Saturday.
For more on this story, grab a copy of Wednesday’s Guardian (March 9).
