Cricket
DONNYBROOK local Darrell Ramponi is one a lucky few to win the Earn a Place in the Australian Cricket Team promotion and have his name featured on the front of a One Day International (ODI) player’s shirt during the upcoming series against India.
The campaign, created by Victoria Bitter, has given Australians like Kurt Ramponi a chance to say ‘thank you’ to someone who had inspired them to take action.
Darrell Ramponi’s nomination came from his son Kurt who told the story of how Darrell started his first cricket team in 1989 in the South West farming town of Donnybrook that involved pulling all the local farmers and community together in the only way he knows how, through cricket.
The local cricket pitch was in the middle of the football oval and had a concrete wicket. There was also a double turf wicket at Egan Park. In the following years he was instrumental in developing to four turf pitches. The local ground now has four training nets, a club room, change rooms and a white picket fence around the oval.
Darrell has brought the community together in a way that was not existent in the past and was recognized as the regional volunteer of the year in 2013 from the WACA association, due to his help in developing the juniors to a level that they now play in, the Bunbury cricket association as well as the seniors in the B and C grade.
As one of the most inspirational stories submitted, Darrell is being honoured by Victoria Bitter as one of Australia’s unsung heroes, and will now get to enjoy seeing Australian cricket captain Steve Smith pay homage to his hard work every time he walks out to the crease.
Carlton and United Breweries’ Louise Thiele said the campaign is a little different to previous Victoria Bitter campaigns and allows every day Aussies to celebrate the unsung heroes in their lives.
“Often, there are people in your life who need more than a thank you. We wanted to offer Australians the chance to give back to the people who have inspired them to be their best by celebrating their hard work in a meaningful and momentous way,” Ms Thiele said.
As the naming rights sponsor of the ODI series, Victoria Bitter will not only be quenching the hard earned thirsts of cricket fans across the country but giving up its iconic logo to cricket fans to honour everyday Aussies who have significantly influenced the people around them.
To see Darrell’s name on Steve Smith’s shirt, be sure to watch the Victoria Bitter ODI series starting 12 January, and visit victoriabitter.com.au to see all the winning stories.
Mr Ramponi said even though he had the accolades, none of it could have been done without cricketers acting together to achieve the desired result.
