The Bulls Masters Country Challenge is a little more than two weeks away with Cairns hosting the other seven Regional Queensland Zones for the second year in a row.
All games on Griffiths Park no.1 will be live-streamed by the Calling All Sports Brisbane crew, run by the highly skilled John Devine.
The Live Stream will be broadcast on the Bulls Masters Facebook and Youtube channels with the Bulls Masters mentors helping out with the commentary.
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It is our members and corporate partners that assist Bulls Masters in continuing our work throughout Queensland communities. If you would like to become part of the Bulls Masters, we want to hear from you.
The Bulls Masters concept was born on a plane flight back from an Australian Cricketers’ Association event when Jimmy Maher and Michael Kasprowicz first discussed the merits of running a not-for-profit organisation to utilise past players to develop and nurture the game of cricket primarily throughout Regional Queensland.
By 2010 the idea had gained steam with Jimmy Maher driving the development of the concept and past players getting on board and helping out.
By late-August 2010 the Bulls Masters had an official launch at the Gabba with former Queensland greats, Jimmy Maher, Greg Chappell, Ian Healy, Matthew Hayden and Carl Rackemann on hand to help promote the organisation.
Jimmy Maher became the Bulls Masters first Managing Director, Ian Healy was the Chairman and the Board comprised of Andy Bichel, Michael Kasprowicz, Martin Kent, Mark Thompson, and John Mullins.
With the Bulls Masters organisation established, it was time to get down to business. The first port of call was the South Burnett Region where a number of Queensland Cricket legends (such as Carl Rackemann and Nathan Hauritz) were born.
The first touring party consisted of Allan Langer, Mark Gaskell, Andy Bichel, Carl Rackemann (c), Martin Love, Jimmy Maher, Joe Dawes, Martin Dent, Jeff Thomson, Gavin Fitness, Michael Kasprowicz, Greg Ritchie, Greg Rowell, Geoff Dymock, Mick Polzin and John McLean.
The tour consisted of school clinics, high development sessions, hospital visits and a game against the South Burnett Invitational XI… which the Bulls Masters won!
The Bulls Masters wanted to give Regional Queensland cricketers more motivation to stay in the game and eliminate some of the financial burden that is especially limiting to cricketers from Regional areas who need to travel long distances to play the game.
The Country Challenge was born in 2012. It was a T20 format competition for open age cricketers and it was initially split into a North and South pool. The Bulls Masters bank-rolled the event providing transport, accommodation and playing kits for each of the eight Regional Queensland zones. The Bulls Masters also provided each Regional Zone with a former Queensland cricket legend as a mentor.
The two teams that won each pool would get to play off for the title at the Gabba, which is the spiritual home of cricket in Queensland and a cherished location for all cricketers to play at.
The first ever Bulls Masters Country Challenge final was played between Mackay/Whitsundays Nitros and South East Queensland Stormers with the Stormers claiming the win!
As the Bulls Masters legend grew, people from around the state wanted to be a part of the endeavour and help to support Queensland Cricket. Thus, Club 95 was born.
Named in honour of the 1995 Queensland Bulls Sheffield Shield winning side, Club 95 was established and opened exclusively to 95 people and would serve to celebrate that historic victory at the same time every year.
Club 95 has become a much-cherished business network for members and a great social vessel for Queenslanders who love cricket.
What do you do 20 years after that magical catch at backward point by Carl Rackemann off the bowling of Paul Jackson?
You throw a reunion party to relive the moment that meant so much to so many Queenslanders! That classic catch sealed a famous first-ever victory for Queensland after 69 years of heartbreak.
The Bulls Masters organised the anniversary event that reunited the Queensland Bulls team from 1995.
The Bulls Masters teamed up with the New South Wales past player organisation, The Baggy Blues, to deliver a legends’ game stacked full of world-class players. The game took place in Mackay on Friday the 17th of June, 2016 and all proceeds raised from the match was donated to Bravehearts, a national child protection organisation that offers education and counselling services to support children and their families affected by child sexual assault.
The Bulls Masters were captained by Ian Healy and coached by Allan Border and Darren Lehmann. The playing group was made up of a host of former internationals, including Ryan Harris, Andrew Symonds, Joe Burns, Chris Lynn and many more.
Mark Waugh skippered The Baggy Blues, which included legends of the game such as Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Brad Haddin and Pat Cummins to name a few.
The game was a huge success with the Bulls Masters winning in front of a massive crowd at Harrup Park. The 2016 event raised over $250k for Bravehearts.
The Healy/Waugh trophy was repeated in 2017 with the Bulls Masters winning again.
Off the success of the Country Challenge, the Bulls Masters identified an opportunity to offer a similar platform for under 16 Country Queensland cricketers to come together for a tournament at an important stage in their development.
The Bulls Masters once again paid the majority of the costs for all the eight regional zones including playing kits, travel and accommodation for the teams to come together for a five-day tournament in which each team would play three T20 and three 50 over games.
Just like the Country Challenge, the Bulls Masters provided a former Queensland cricketer as a mentor for all the zones.
In the first year of the event it was the Darling Downs Suns who were first to get their name on the Cup.
Major corporate sponsor, Chemist Warehouse has invested in the Bulls Masters vision for Regional Queensland cricket. Chemist Warehouse have sponsored the high development clinics which sends former Queensland legends into Regional Queensland hubs to hold free development clinics for advanced junior cricketers.
The first one took place in Townsville where Nathan Reardon and Brendan Creevey represented the Bulls Masters with help from a large contingent of Queensland Cricket coaches.
The Development Clinics are ongoing and have subsequently been to Hervey Bay, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Cairns, Noosa, and will continue to roll out in Regional areas that need them most.
The Bulls Masters joined forces with the Men of League Foundation to deliver one of the biggest corporate event days Queensland has ever seen!
The event was named after former Australian Cricket wicket-keeper Ian Healy and Australian Rugby League Hall of Famer, Ron Coote who both attended the day.
The Coote-Healy Charity Invitational started with a golf day at the Brisbane Golf Club which paired up 14 rugby league legends and 14 cricket legends with 28 corporate teams.
Legends of rugby league included Gordon Tallis, Ben Ikin, Allan Langer, Michael Hancock and Mick Crocker to name a few. They were joined by legends of cricket such as Jimmy Maher, Carl Rackemann and Nathan Hauritz.
All corporate teams then assembled at Suncorp Stadium where the dressing rooms were set up as they would be for State of Origin.
Legends mixed with mere mortals and told stories of glory days.
All teams headed up to the Paddington Room for a dinner featuring guest speaking from sporting royalty including Allan Langer, Carl Rackemann, Ron Coote, Ian Healy, Ben Ikin and internationally renowned magician, Matt Hollywood.
The Bulls Masters’ desire to be the ultimate benefactor of cricket in Queensland saw it become the major sponsor of the Queensland Bulls and the Queensland Fire, beginning in 2019 and continuing on to the present day.
This special partnership proves just how far the Bulls Masters have come, that they are now in a position to be the only past player organisation to sponsor both the men’s and women’s current professional teams, possibly in all of world sport!
As the Bulls Masters continue to grow, so does its corporate network. The Border Group is a special club open to 14 businesses who are passionate in the work that the Bulls Masters do.
The Group is named after the great former Australian captain, Allan Border, and together they act as the major sponsor of the Bulls Masters. The initial members include the Doug Barton Family, Q Birt, Takalvans, IONYX, Haulmark Trailers, Bundaberg Toyota, Bartons, Lindsays Transport, Ulton, BMD Group, Future Proof Financial, Ian Weigh Toyota and Wessel Petroleum.
These are important Queensland and Australian companies that care about Regional Queensland and invest back into the communities that support them.
