Sir Ian Botham to take part in Legends of Cricket   24 Jan 2015

One of the true legends of cricket, Sir Ian “Beefy” Botham, will be part of an all-star cricket match with a difference in Hawke’s Bay next month.

The Legends of Cricket Art Deco Match, to be played on 25 February, will feature many cricket heroes from days gone by. But there’s no stadium setting for this game – the match will be played on a pitch in the middle of farmland in the coastal community Te Awanga.

“Having one of the all-time greats of international cricket come to Hawke’s Bay is an amazing coup,” said Hawke’s Bay Tourism General Manager Annie Dundas. “He is cricket royalty and we’re hoping Sir Ian’s fans will jump at the opportunity to see him up close at the unique Clifton County Cricket Club.

Joining Sir Ian will be 1992 World Cup stars Chris Harris and Mark Greatbatch as well as Dion Nash, Evan Gray, Erv McSweeney and actor Shane Cortese (who has played for Northern Districts and Lords Tavener).

The “New Zealand vs the Rest of the World” match will be a friendly 20/20 game, based on an Art Deco theme which will include players donning traditional 1930’s cricket attire with a host of sideline activity celebrating the era synonymous with Napier City and Hawke’s Bay heritage.

The match has been scheduled to take place at the end of the annual Art Deco Weekend in Napier, allowing the revellers to enjoy extended celebrations and get into the swing of Cricket World Cup 2015.

“We have already been fielding calls from international media keen to cover the Legends Of Cricket match, but I suspect there will be a few more on the back of the exciting news Sir Ian will be part of the action too,” said Ms Dundas.

“The point of difference with this match is the stunning location. We had Suresh Menon, Editor of Wisden India tell us that Clifton was the most beautiful cricket ground he had visited anywhere in the world. It really does showcase all that is great about Hawke’s Bay.”

ENDS

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