BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - CELEBRITIES past international and local cricket legends and even politicians will be on show in the first ever Beefy’s Bash held at Warner Park this evening in aid of three charities here in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Beefy’s Bash is an all-star charity T20 game organised by Sir Ian ‘Beefy’ Botham and will bring together a host of celebrity personalities, cricketing legends, current stars and local players.
One team will be captained by West Indies Cricket legend Brian Lara and the other by TV Piers Morgan in a T20 cricket and the proceeds will go to Special Olympics St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Kitts and Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities and the Creative Youth Academy.
Brian Lara’s team will feature; Ian Bishop, Hon. Glenn Phillip, Roger Harper, Darren Ganga Dave Cameron, Surlty Ambrose, Graeme Swan, Desmond Haynes, Gordon Greenidge, Courtney Walsh Kieth Authorton, Manish Patel, Pushpak Patel, Ron Parikh, Chet Bhakta, Luther Kelly, Shane Jeffers, Livingstone Harris and Jacques Taylor.
Piers Morgan’s team will feature Matt Maynard, Tom Moody, Darren Gough, Danny Morrison, Marcus Mumford, Sam Ursell, Mickey Arthur, Pete Russell Simon Helmott, Darren Hobson, Stuart Williams, Elsroy Powell, Tristan Hanley and Adelvin Phillip.
In a press conference held ahead of the game the Piers Morgan sent out a word of warning to his opponents.
“I saw Curtly Ambrose yesterday morning and I said to him you have a choice… road or stand and he thought I was talking about bars and I said if you drop it short to me you going in the road or the stand your choice and he just padded me on the head.
“There will be a big crowd tomorrow and I am fairly sure more than half of them will come to see me get my ribs battered again.
“I would like to point out the last time I played with Brian Lara was last year and I outscored him in a 30 minute partnership so I have no fear about Mr Lara and I spoke to him on the phone and I said we have come to win.”
Morgan then expressed his gratitude at being able to take part in the game for charity and being part of the 2014 Caribbean premier League.
“There is one thing I learned in life is that when Sir Ian Botham calls you as he did about two months ago asking you to do something it is easy to say yes. He has raised 17 million pounds worldwide with the amazing walks that he does.
“He’s got the new foundation, he loves St. Kitts…and I think the chance to have a fun game…I think it is a great chance to have fun and be a part of this amazing week with the t20 tournament.
“To see cricket and also raise a lot of money for charity and help St. Kitts and promote St. Kitts all around the world it is a great thing to do. It is a place to watch cricket and if I can survive and not get killed by Curtly Ambrose it will be a great week.”
Also giving his input on the game was former England bowler Darren Gough who was anxious to once again come up against the legends of the past.
“When I looked at the both teams and I looked at our bowling attack with me and Danny Morrison and I looked at the other with Ambrose, Walsh and Bishop I think it is the tallest attack in World Cricket versus the shortest attack.
“I use to love playing against the West Indies. Growing up Malcom Marshall was one of my heroes. To be working on the CPL has been fantastic to start with and to play a game and to play against Brian again would be great.”
The opening ball of the match will be bowled by St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas.
