Southern Spirit fined $1000 for Pink Day fundraiser

The Peninsula's cricket club, Southern Spirit, has been fined $1000 when its women's team wore Hawaiian shirts in a game against Narara-Wyoming as part of a Pink Day in which the club raised more than $5000 for the McGrath Foundation for breast care nurses.

The fine is believed to be among the largest ever imposed by the Central Coast Cricket Association.

The club was not willing to comment, and the Association was approached but did not respond.

However, both Cricket NSW and the McGrath Foundation have praised the effort of Southern Spirit in raising the money for the Foundation.

It appears the Association may have been embarrassed into donating the fine to the McGrath Foundation.

"Central Coast Cricket Association will donate the $1000 fine, in the name of Southern Spirit Cricket Club, to the McGrath Foundation," said Cricket NSW chairman Mr John Knox.

McGrath Foundation media officer Ms Gemma Davies said: "We are extremely grateful for the incredible support of all our fundraisers, including the Southern Spirit Cricket Club.

"The Southern Spirit Cricket Club registered to host a Pink Stumps Day to fundraise on behalf of the McGrath Foundation.

"Pink Stumps Day is the McGrath Foundation's largest community-led fundraising campaign where cricket clubs and teams and whole communities come together to turn their game pink and raise funds for McGrath Breast Care Nurses.

"It's only through the generous support of these communities that we can do what we do," Ms Davies said.

Mr Knox echoed the sentiment: "Cricket NSW commends the efforts of Southern Spirit Cricket Club to raise $5000 for the McGrath Foundation.

"Cricket NSW also acknowledges the right of the Central Coast Cricket Association to administer the sport in its region.

"In this case the Southern Spirit Cricket Club ignored the association's repeated requests that the players not wear Hawaiian shirts.

"The club was subsequently fined $1000," he said.

However, Mr Knox would not confirm further details, including whether the club had also been stripped of competition points and its captain suspended for a number of games and whether a Narara-Wyoming player was also penalised for wearing "non-sanctioned" pink clothing.

The Spirit's Women's T20 team is the club's first to take part in the Association's competition which is now in its second year.

They were sitting in second place on the competition ladder at the end of round 13.

SOURCE:

Media statements, 30 Jan 2020

Gemma Davies, Jane McGrath Foundation

John Knox, Cricket NSW

Photo: Nick Friend

Reporter: Dilon Luke