• Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
  • Competition
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Riding a wave for therapy
  • Fisher to take over at Baxter
  • Hunter finds success with Thronum progeny
  • Stonecats continue their dominance, Langwarrin first-quarter blitz sets up win
  • Railway Commissioners’ visit to the peninsula
  • Jetty repair in the budget pipeline
  • Bus shelters vandalised
  • Cars stolen after break-ins
Facebook Twitter
MPNEWSMPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Competition
MPNEWSMPNEWS
Home»News»Stars align in tribute to Luke
News

Stars align in tribute to Luke

By Chris BrennanMarch 31, 2014Updated:May 17, 2014No Comments3 Mins Read
Show of support: Rosie Batty received a guard of honour at the tribute cricket match for her son Luke at Tyabb Reserve on Sunday. Picture: Gary Sissons
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email
Show of support: Rosie Batty received a guard of honour at the tribute cricket match for her son Luke at Tyabb Reserve on Sunday. Picture: Gary Sissons
Show of support: Rosie Batty received a guard of honour at the tribute cricket match for her son Luke at Tyabb Reserve on Sunday. Picture: Gary Sissons

THE smiles returned in abundance to a sun-soaked Tyabb Reserve on Sunday as more than 4000 visitors gathered for a celebrity Twenty20 cricket game in honour of Luke Batty.

Dozens of celebrities and sports stars took to the field for the match, with Australian cricketer Matthew Wade proving the biggest hit of the day as he belted sixes into the enthusiastic crowd.

The star-studded celebrity team lists included cricketers Wade, Bryce McGain, Peter Handscomb, Scott Boland and Cassie Brock, AFL footballers Michael Hurley, Michael Hibberd and Arryn Siposs, actors Gary Sweet and Rhys Muldoon, and television personalities Anthony “Lehmo” Lehmann and Brett McLeod.

There were plenty more well-known faces in the crowd lending their support to the cause, with organisers declaring the day “a stunning success”.

No one was more pleased with the overwhelming show of support than Luke’s mother Rosie Batty, who stayed for the duration of the event and thanked guests for making the day so special for Tyabb Cricket Club and broader community.

Ms Batty said her cricket-loving son, who played as a junior with the Tyabb club, would have been “chuffed” and that the match would help the healing process for his friends and teammates.

“The timing of this event is really important for his classmates, his teammates, and people who have been really saddened,” she said.

“This is a healing opportunity to bond.”

Luke, 11, was killed by his father Greg Anderson at the ground on 12 February following a regular weekly cricket training session. Anderson was fatally shot by police following the incident.

Tyabb Cricket Club president Sam Taranto said the event had been more successful than organisers ever could have hoped, with the crowd of 4000-4500 more than double the number expected.

He said the match had been organised as a celebration of Luke’s life and “to put some smiles back on faces” following the tragedy.

The event had been “a bit of a case of ‘if we build it, they will come’ because we really didn’t know what sort of response we were going to get,” Mr Taranto said of the organising process.

“But they certainly did come and it was a fantastic day, beyond our greatest hopes.”

While the main purpose of the event was to “bring some happiness back to the community”, with children admitted free of charge and adult entry only $5, funds raised would be used to help cover the cost of rebuilding the ground’s cricket nets, which were taken down following Luke’s murder, Mr Taranto said.

Fundraising efforts for the new nets, which are estimated to cost about $180,000, received a welcome boost from the Commonwealth Bank, which donated $10,000 as well as a $20,000 contribution from the state government.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Jetty repair in the budget pipeline

June 27, 2022

Bus shelters vandalised

June 27, 2022

Cars stolen after break-ins

June 27, 2022

O’Connor sets the record straight

June 27, 2022
Add A Comment

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Weather
Jun 29, 2022 - Wed
Mornington, Australia
12°C
overcast clouds
overcast clouds
2 m/s, NW
57%
765.82 mmHg
wed06/29 thu06/30 fri07/01 sat07/02 sun07/03
overcast clouds
11/9°C
overcast clouds
10/9°C
light rain
11/10°C
light rain
11/10°C
sky is clear
12/9°C
Peninsula Essence Magazine

Click here to read

June 27, 2022
Peninsula Kids Magazine

Click here to read

May 26, 2022
Council Watch

Keeping watch on councillor costs

June 27, 2022

Leadership lacking for ‘neutral’ policy

June 20, 2022
Interview

Awards help call Australia home

June 20, 2022
Property of the Week

278 Dundas Street, Rye

May 11, 2022
100 Years Ago This Week

Railway Commissioners’ visit to the peninsula

June 28, 2022
Contact
Street: 63 Watt Road, Mornington, 3931
Mailing: PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Competition
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook Twitter
© 2022 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.