Swifts-Great Western Cricket Club has been handed a significant boost to secure the club’s future in a new sponsorship with the Commonwealth Bank.
The club will receive a much needed funding boost and new equipment through the nationwide CommBank Cricket Club Sponsorship program.
The Combine will receive $2000 a year across the two-year deal along with equipment such as a marquee, and junior training essentials.
Branch Manager of Commonwealth Bank Stawell Anne Geraghty said CommBank is excited to be able to support the Combine.
“We are thrilled to be supporting the Swifts Great Western Cricket Club,” she said. “They provide opportunities for our local cricketers to develop their skills and the club also plays such an important role in our community.”
Swifts-Great Western Secretary Marc Brilliant said it is great for the club to be rewarded after years of trying."
“We have been applying for a few years now so we are rapt to finally be successful,” he said.
Brilliant said the funds and equipment will be used to bolster the junior development at the club.
“It shores up a lot of money we have invested in our juniors in the last few years,” he said.
“It will help with the purchasing for a new pitch which a lot of our juniors play on and we will also be able to get training equipment which is hard to come by for juniors.”
Brilliant encouraged other clubs in the area to keep applying for similar grants.
“We were lucky enough it was our turn this year – you just have to keep applying because it is worth it,” he said.
CommBank has provided more than one million dollars in grants, sponsorships and cricket gear to 395 local cricket clubs in the last five years to help introduce and support more players of all ages, genders and ethnicities to the sport of cricket.
Commonwealth Bank Southern Star and all-rounder Ellyse Perry said funding such as this allows greater opportunities for a range of people in the community.
“Local clubs will always be the foundation of cricket in Australia, fostering talent, friendly competition and the love of the game,” she said.
“Cricket clubs like the Swifts Great Western Cricket Club help make the game more accessible to players and fans around the country.
“This additional funding and equipment makes a huge difference for both the club and sport more broadly.”
Applications for the latest round of CommBank Cricket Club Sponsorships will open in November to local cricket clubs across Australia and can be made at www.commbank.com.au/cricket.
