MELBOURNE Renegades will consider a return trip to the region after the success of their Wipe Off 5 Ballarat Bush Bash.
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Renegades chief executive Stuart Coventry said the franchise would have a “good, hard look” at its options with the possibility of another visit to the city next year.
“We will do our post-season review, look at a number of different areas and, if everything ticks the boxes, we will definitely want to continue a partnership. So far it has been great,” Coventry said.
“All the different partners have all put in and made it a great success so far and for our blokes it’s good practice.
“We are bringing some of the best Twenty20 players in the world here (and it’s) terrific for the city.”
The three-day community camp has been widely embraced by the Ballarat public, with good numbers turning out for yesterday’s two Twenty20 practice matches between the Renegades and the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy at Eastern Oval. This followed a school clinic and community visits on Friday, with the bulk of the Renegades squad arriving in Ballarat on Saturday night.
Coventry said he had been the brainchild of the Ballarat visit, with the motivation a desire to increase participation in the Renegades across regional areas of the state.
“It was important we had a good partnership, which is the City of Ballarat and TAC, and I thought it is great to be able to bring an event or some really good talent into regional areas and promote community values and activities,” he said.
“For us, hopefully people get a taste of Big Bash and want to come down and watch a few games this year.”
The camp has served as a lead-in to the Big Bash League season for the Renegades, which open their campaign with a showdown against the Melbourne Stars on Friday at the MCG.
tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au