With a line up of players who number some of the best to ever play the game, XXXX GOLD today announced an exciting new concept – competitive beach cricket.
With Australian, West Indies and English teams confirmed for the new Tri Nations Tournament, ‘XXXX GOLD BEACH CRICKET’ will be held next January and February over three weekends with Scarborough Beach soon to be named as one of the key beach venues.* Attending the launch in Scarborough was Aussie cricket legend Dennis Lillee who has been named in the Australian Beach Cricket Team and will join Allan Border (Captain), Jeff Thomson, Mark Waugh, Dean Jones, Damien Fleming and Kim Hughes. “I’m pretty excited about XXXX GOLD BEACH CRICKET. Not only do I get to play with some of my best mates but we’ll be competing against some of the greats from England and the West Indies,” said Lillee. “A unique wicket has been developed and a whole new set of beach cricket rules to ensure games are both fiercely competitive and entertaining. “Perhaps even more exciting is the fact that a local beach will host one of the events,” said Lillee. Coolangatta (QLD) and Maroubra (NSW) have been named as the other beach venues with the event to be broadcast on Network Ten. Leading the English side is Graham Gooch who will be joined by Darren Gough, Allan Lamb, Robin Smith, Adam Hollioake, Graeme Hick and Mark Ramprakash. Courtney Walsh will captain the West Indies Beach Cricket Team and bring with him Phil Simmons, Jimmy Adams, Curtly Ambrose, Richie Richardson, Desmond Haynes and Joel Garner.XXXX GOLD and Swan Brewery Regional Director, Frank Arangio, believes XXXX GOLD BEACH CRICKET will become a great addition to the WA summer sporting calendar. “XXXX GOLD is now the country’s second biggest beer by volume with significant and growing volumes outside of Queensland. We’ve built a strong platform with the brand here, including widespread distribution in both tap and pack across the state and great awareness through ‘Jacko and The Crew’,” said Arangio. “We were keen to get involved in something that we knew our drinkers would love and that really stood for the values of the XXXX GOLD brand. “XXXX GOLD BEACH CRICKET will offer up the perfect summer treat – a bit of sun, sand, a few XXXX GOLDs and a competitive game of cricket involving a bunch of cricketing mates whose names have gone down in history as some of the greats of the game,” said Arangio. Western Australian Tourism Minister Sheila McHale said the State Government had invested more than $50,000 to hold the XXXX Gold Beach Cricket event in Perth. “This event at Scarborough Beach* is a great way to showcase one of Perth’s famous beaches and its marine activities. “We are delighted to be able to bring this exciting new event to Perth and showcase our beautiful Scarborough Beach* to visitors and television viewers around the world,” she said. “This competition adds another reason to celebrate Australia Day in Perth in 2007 and there is something quintessentially Western Australian about this event – it combines our love of summertime, beaches, surf and cricket,” Ms McHale said.
The Events
The Coolangatta event will take place on 20-21 January followed by Scarborough on 26-27 January and Maroubra on 3-4 February. The first day of each event will be an interactive day involving special guests and the players with day two featuring the Tri Nations Tournament. In Maroubra and Coolangatta, the Tri Nations Tournament will be held on the first day. At each event, teams will play each other in a six-a-side match with the top two teams competing in an event final at the end of the day. The final of the XXXX GOLD BEACH CRICKET Tri Nations will be played at Maroubra and will involve the two teams to have appeared in the most finals over the three weeks of competition. The winner will take home the title of XXXX GOLD BEACH CRICKET champions.
Support Programme
“We’ve also got a massive support program behind XXXX GOLD BEACH CRICKET.
From next week seven million ‘beach cricket’ themed cartons of XXXX GOLD will start to make their way across the country offering cricket lovers a free XXXX GOLD BEACH CRICKET ‘swing’ ball and the chance to build their own beach cricket kit,” said Arangio. Each carton contains two coupons which, when presented at Rebel Sport give the consumer a free ball or can be collected to give discounts on XXXX GOLD BEACH CRICKET bat and stumps sets, Australian team shirts and a first for the beach – a wicket. “The wicket is pretty special as it delivers a bounce on the beach and varies in pace depending on which side of the mat you use, ensuring a competitive game with your mates. It’s ambitious but we are confident we’ll see thousands out on the sand having a go this summer,” said Arangio. A television commercial featuring the well known stars of the XXXX GOLD TV campaign, ‘Jacko and the boys’ as well as the much loved dog ‘Marlin’, will encourage cricket fans to get out and have a go on the sand with their own beach cricket kit. Finally, XXXX GOLD will also be releasing limited edition cans featuring the seven Australian players, limited edition stubbies featuring a player from the Australian and one of the opposing teams as well as a XXXX GOLD BEACH CRICKET television commercial starring the three captains (see Editor’s notes). “This is a multi million dollar program of activity that we hope Australians will embrace this summer. We see this as a long term commitment and a permanent edition to the sporting calendar,” said Arangio. For more information go to http://www.xxxxgoldbeachcricket.com.au XXXX GOLD BEACH CRICKET sponsors include Network Ten, Rebel Sport and Reebok. Contacts for further information:
Gabriel McDowell
Res Publica
0417 260 918
gmcdowell@respublica.com.au
Melissa Cullen
Res Publica
0408 029 546
mcullen@respublica.com.au
The XXXX GOLD BEACH CRICKET television commercial featuring the three captains was shot last month and will go to air in October.