DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA394/09
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
LAUNCH OF THE TELSTRA INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE
CRICKET CHALLENGE 2009
The second running of the Telstra International Defence Cricket Challenge will commence
tomorrow at various grounds in the nations capital. This years tournament builds on the
success of the 2007 event and welcomes all three Australian service teams, the three New
Zealand service teams and for the first time teams from Asia in the form of the Royal
Malaysian Air Force team and the Indian Armed Forces team.
Over 180 participants will be involved in up to eight games of cricket in both Twenty20 and
One Day Limited Overs formats from the 18th to the 26th of November. The tournament will
culminate with the Telstra IDCC 09 Grand Final to be played on Manuka Oval in Canberra on
the 26 November 2009.
The spectacle of so many different cricketing styles on display in the one event is tantalising
and one which we are all looking forward to said Brigadier Stephen Dunn, the President of
the Australian Services Cricket Association (ASCA). ASCA are the tournament coordinators.
An exciting addition to this years tournament will be a match between a selected World
Defence XI and an Australian Cricketers Association Masters side. The best players from the
eight defence sides will be drawn together on the 27 November to play a Twenty20 against
the ACA Masters team that will include former test players Darren Lehmann, Michael Bevan,
Greg Matthews, Craig McDermott and Greg Campbell. That game will commence at 1.00pm
at Manuka Oval in Canberra.
Admission to all tournament games is free, although tournament organisers are asking for a
gold coin donation to the IDCC Grand Final and the World XI verse ACA Masters game. All
money raised will be given to the McGrath Foundation who is the official charity of this
years tournament.
To have some of the best Defence cricketers in the world come up against some of the best
players Australia has ever produced will be an amazing game and an honour for Services
cricket, Brigadier Dunn said.
I would strongly encourage all lovers of the game of cricket to come along to Manuka Oval
on the 27th of November. They will witness a tremendous match and assist us supporting the
McGrath Foundation.
Media note:
Further information can be found at the Telstra IDCC 09 website:
Media contacts:
LTCOL James Brownlie, Tournament Director:
0400 003 784
james.brownlie@defence.gov.au
Defence Media Liaison:
02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664