Tim Nielsen and Greg Blewett will pad up in a charity game

FORMER South Australian cricketing greats Tim Nielsen and Greg Blewett will join current WBBL star Lauren Ebsary in raising money for charity by fielding anywhere but mid-off in a special event T20 match.

Tomorrow, (THURS), the Coromandel Ramblers Cricket Club is hosting a special fundraising match to continue the legacy of friend and former SACA colleague, Ashley Bryant.

Bryant, an avid cricket volunteer, passed away suddenly in August 2017, leaving a hole in the local cricket community, nowhere more so than within his beloved Coromandel Ramblers.

Nielsen, Blewett and Ebsary will be part of the SACA Social Club team, which will take on the Ramblers in a T20 game at Weymouth Oval, Coromandel Valley, from 5.15pm.

Bryant was passionate about making cricket accessible to all young people, regardless of ability or background and in his memory, the Ramblers established the Ashley Bryant Memorial Fund to offer the Woolworths Cricket Blast free of charge in term one.

Thursday’s fundraising match is free for all to attend, with money raised from raffles, food and drinks on the night going to the Ashley Bryant Memorial Fund, so it can continue to offer the Junior Blasters program at no cost for kids aged five to seven.

Former Australian coach Nielsen said he hadn’t played a cricket match for about two years, and joked that he was hoping to field at mid-off to keep out of harm’s way.

“But I expect we’ll have to keep and bat and bowl and do all of those things,” he said.

“It’s a great cause and I’m just looking forward to the day and getting out there to support the Coromandel Ramblers Cricket Club and be able to have a positive impact around the place.”

Nielsen, who played 101 games as a wicketkeeper/batsman for South Australia, said one of the great things about sport was its power to bring people together.

He said being able to contribute to such a great cause — by helping to produce the next generation of Australian cricketers — was a wonderful way to honour Bryant’s memory.