The South African Standard Bank one-day international team currently on tour in New Zealand have donated two signed cricket bats to be auctioned in Wellington to raise funds for the victims of the recent storms and floods that lashed the southern and central North Island and the northern areas of the South Island earlier this week.
The floods left many hundreds of people homeless and caused devastation in the farming areas, with some farms reporting massive stock losses.
The estimated cost of repairing the damage is about R400-million.
South Africa meet the New Zealand Black Caps in the third one-day international of a six-match series at the Westpac Stadium on Friday.
Captain Graeme Smith said: ”We often see the devastation caused by storms and floods from afar, but being so close to the worst affected areas makes us realise just how quickly lives can be seriously disrupted and we hope that in making this donation we can make a difference to those people whose lives have been severely affected.”
The New Zealand Black Caps have donated two signed playing shirts to the same cause.
In addition, New Zealand Cricket announced on Wednesday that the ticket prices for Friday’s match will be reduced by R40 and that it will donate R25 for every adult ticket sold. — Sapa