Cricket event a sure big hit

COMMUNITY fundraising group Friends of India Network is celebrating its five-year run of charitable cricketing gatherings with its most ambitious offering yet.

After missing out in 2020, this year’s Annual Fundraiser Charity Cricket Contest will see three local teams go to bat in a tri series on Sunday, 13 March.

Attendants will pay a gold coin to see the Ballarat Raiders, Sri Lankan Tuskers and Indian Lions face-off, with all proceeds pledged towards the Ballarat & District Suicide Awareness Network.

The partnership will provide resources for schools to better support children’s mental health, which FIN director Dr Sanjay Sharma said is particularly relevant in recent years.

“The kids have obviously suffered through the pandemic, so mental health is so important for them right now,” he said.

“Many are not really well equipped to deal with those issues, so we’d thought we’d help bring some resources towards schools in the region.”

The event will consist of three games of 10 overs each and will be held at Grammar Oval from 10.30am.

Traditionally, the event is followed with a gala dinner on the same day, but Dr Sharma said it has been “split” due to the lingering uncertainty of the pandemic.

The dinner will instead take place on Saturday, 13 August at the Mercure Hotel.

Dr Sharma said he looks forward to giving the community “something different” with the expanded set of teams despite the concessions made in rescheduling the dinner.

“Even though we’ve had to space out our gala dinner, it’s still going to be a good fun family day,” he said.

To donate to the cause visit bit.ly/3srCaSs.