- More than $5000 has been raised so far
A local Victorian cricketer has turned heads after batting for 12 hours straight to raise money for mental health charity Beyond Blue.
Chirnside Park coach Scott Reece has collected more than $5000 after staying at the crease in scorching Melbourne heat.
Reece attempted to mimic the Cancer Council’s ‘Longest Day’ golf fundraiser, but his was a cricket theme where he launched the inaugural ‘Bat the Day Out’ initiative.
When the coach kicked off his marathon-style innings, the temperature was a cool 13 degrees – but by midday it was 28, before it peaked at 33.5 degrees.
Reece used a bowling machine to keep throwing down deliveries for him to face.
His clubmates then came down for the final four overs to finish the day.
Chirnside Park coach Scott Reece (pictured) has been praised for his incredible fundraising effort, which will be passed onto Beyond Blue
The local cricketer (pictured) from Chirnside Park in Melbourne has raised more than $5000
Reece revealed the physical toll has been significant – but he’s happy with the results of his fundraiser.
‘I’m pretty sore, a bit of dehydration and a lot of sunburn on the shoulders and back of the legs,’ he said.
‘I had a lot of support, a lot of people stopped by and dropped off little things throughout the day, which was great.
‘The first four hours I was batting with a ball on a string and then from 12pm to 4pm I had a bowling machine.’
Reece added the support from his club, the local league and even some of his rivals was heartening.
‘I was a bit sceptical at the start, I had a $2500 goal and a couple of people encouraged me to go higher,’ he added.
The long-time cricketer also disclosed why he chose to raise money for a mental health charity.
Reece (pictured) spent 12 hours straight facing deliveries
The coach (pictured batting) enlisted the help of his local friends, and anyone associated with his club to bowl the final four overs in his fundraiser
‘I’m trying to drive the message that it’s OK to reach out,’ he said.
Reece has been in brilliant form for his local side, and was coming off his second half-century of the Newey Plate season in the Ringwood District Cricket Association.
The Chirnside Park opener sits just outside the competition’s top-10 run-scorers.
He has scored 199 runs at an average of 33.17, with one more match to play before Christmas.
