Gladstone high school student Mahli Rea was the recipient of this year’s Jodie Purves Young Cricketer Development Scholarship which has supported rural and regional female cricketers since 2014 .
The Scholarship, founded by the former Australian World Cup winning captain, has been backed in 2023 by the Queensland Cricket Foundation, with funding via a $3000 donation by the Brisbane Airport Corporation.
The QC Foundation raises funds through tax-deductible donations, corporate partnerships, and major events to support is four key philanthropic pillars.
These are:
1. Indigenous health and well-being
2. Female and all-inclusive programs and initiatives
3. Infrastructure and facilities
4. Supporting experiences for disadvantaged youth
Purves, a member of the Queensland Cricket Women’s Hall of Fame after playing 100 matches for her State, said she was pleased to partner with the QC Foundation and is many generous donors to deliver her scholarship.
“As women’s cricket continues to blossom across the globe, it’s great to be able to support one of our upcoming young cricketers in regional Queensland,’’ she said.
“Mahli Rea is a humble, dedicated and exciting cricketer from Boyne Island near Gladstone who is enjoying her current cricket journey. Her family show great dedication in enabling Mahli to do her best to develop, regularly making the lengthy round trips from CQ to help her team the Sunshine Coast Scorchers in the Katherine Raymont Shield.”
“I’m really thankful for the continuing support of the Queensland Cricket Foundation to invest in and support our next generation of girls as they strive higher particularly with cricket. I wish Mahli and her family all the best with the next stage of her journey.”
Rea is from Boyne Island near Gladstone and plays Premier Cricket for the Sunshine Coast Scorchers in the Katherine Raymont Shield.
Earlier in the year she played in the State Under-15 Challenge series at Redlands, captaining the Central Infernos.
She was named Player of the Tournament and included in the Team of the Tournament after winning the award as the competition's Best Batter with 208 runs, a highlight of which was her 82 runs off 99 balls against the Northern Flames.
Her right-arm pace also troubled opposition teams, with her best bowling figures 3/13 from 4.2 overs against the Western Swelter.
Rea was named in the Queensland Under-16 team that played in the national titles in Canberra in January.