The new-look McGrath Foundation logo will be even closer to all the action at this summer’s Commonwealth Bank Pink Test in Sydney when it appears on the ball for the first time.
Kookaburra, who have supplied balls for Test cricket in Australia since 1947, will break with 70 years of tradition and drop the iconic bird logo from the ball for the first time ever.
As a one-off to help support the McGrath Foundation’s rebranding and fundraising for breast care nurses, the Kookaburra bird will be replaced by the McGrath Foundation logo through the Test.
Two Kookaburra ambassadors are expected to be sharing the new ball for Australia in the Test, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, and both are proud to be running in with the unique balls.
Mitchell Starc:
“I’ve been lucky enough to play in a few Pink Tests and it’s a great event that raises money for such a good cause, placing McGrath Breast Care Nurses across Australia – it’s a highlight of the cricket calendar and it’s a nice touch for the new ball to also support the cause.”
Josh Hazlewood:
“Glenn McGrath was a hero of mine when I was growing up, but aside from cricket, the work he and the McGrath Foundation does is also inspiring. Teaming up with Kookaburra to run in with the special ball is a small token of appreciation for what they do for families across Australia.”
Glenn McGrath:
“It is amazing how companies like Kookaburra, in fact the whole cricket community gets behind the Pink Test and with $100 donated for every wicket, and $500 for a century by Kookaburra ambassadors let’s hope all those guys have a great game. Our target for the Pink Test is $390,000 and that amount will place one McGrath Breast Care Nurse in a community that needs it for three years. It’s a big goal so we ask everyone to dig deep and donate this year to help us make families that are experiencing Breast Cancer a little bit easier”.
On January 1 Kookaburra was proud to provide for the first time the ‘Baggy Pink’ for players in the lead-up to the match. These will be signed by players and used for fundraising by the McGrath Foundation during the Test.
Kookaburra has also been selling special Pink McGrath Foundation balls through Rebel Sport this summer with $5 from each ball sold to be donated to the McGrath Foundation, these will continue to go on sale after the Sydney Test.
In addition Kookaburra will donate $100 for every wicket its Australian ambassadors take and $500 for any centuries that are made by ambassadors during the Test.
Kookaburra Ambassadors in the Australian squad are Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Peter Handscomb and Ashton Agar.
Shannon Gill – Communications Manager, Kookaburra
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