Canterbury's TelstraClear Black Caps being given royal farewell

Five Canterbury players selected to travel to the ICC World Cup in South Africa will be given a true Canterbury farewell next week at the Christchurch Casino.

TelstraClear Black Caps Chris Cairns, Shane Bond, Chris Harris, Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan will attend a formal dinner, hosted by Canterbury Cricket, in recognition of their achievements.

With guest speaker Martin Crowe, former New Zealand captain and current SKY TV cricket commentator, the theme of the evening is bound to move from past World Cup heroics to expectations of the forthcoming tournament.

A highlight of the evening is bound to be when a full-sized framed bat signed by Sachin Tendulkar is offered for auction to raise funds for Canterbury Cricket junior development. The collector's piece comes with Tendulkar's career statistic inscribed into sterling silver and a photo of the Indian batting maestro.

Also on offer is a red and black Canterbury Cricket hooped felt hat that is traditionally presented to players on making their first-class debut. These caps are never offered for sale so this is a one-off opportunity for those at the dinner to purchase a unique item, which is framed and includes the signatures of the five Canterbury TelstraClear Black Caps.

Individual tickets and tables of ten are offered for sale at $90 and $900 respectively. Interest in this event has been high with tables selling quickly and those who are interested in attending this special occasion should contact Canterbury Cricket now to avoid disappointment. Contact Emily Travers or Andrew Hames on (03) 366 3003.