Sheffield Shield trophy to join Tony Modra and Peter Malinauskas at Peterborough drought relief party

SA cricketers ended a 29-year drought to claim the Sheffield Shield last month, now they are heading north to support people facing another type of drought.

South Australia’s newly claimed Sheffield Shield trophy will join political and sporting royalty at a drought resilience street party in the parched Mid North town of Peterborough on Monday.

The trophy will be on show at the Peterborough Hotel, where Crows legend Tony Modra and former Adelaide Oval curator Les Burdett will be behind the bar for a party aimed at giving drought-stricken farmers a chance to unite as they deal with one of the worst droughts in state history.

Modra, who still regularly visits a cattle farm he leases out to a mate near Waitpinga, said farmers across the state were hurting because of the impact of the drought.

South Australia’s newly claimed Sheffield Shield trophy will join political and sporting royalty during the Peterborough draught resilience party. Picture: Sarah Reed/Getty Images

The 440-goal Crows full forward was quick to throw his support behind the Peterborough event, the culmination of The Advertiser’s For Pete’s Sake campaign which called for more State Government support for both farmers and struggling rural communities.

“They’re really hurting up there from what I’m hearing,” he said.

“So it will be good to go out there and help out in any way I can. And obviously it’s not just Peterborough either – it’s the whole of South Australia that is hurting.

“So let’s just get out there and support them as much as we can.”

Modra, also urged farmers to make every effort to attend the “Peter Party” to talk through their issues and find out more about the State Government’s drought relief package.

Modra and Burdett will attend the day in their roles as ambassadors for West End, which has joined the Australian Hotels Association in throwing their support behind the day.

Crows legend Tony Modra and former Adelaide Oval curator Les Burdett will be behind the Peterborough Hotel bar. Picture: Stephen Laffer

West End sales director Jared Shattock said the South Australian Cricket Association and West End were thrilled to also bring the Sheffield Shield won by SA cricketers last month to end a 29-year title drought.

“It’ll be sitting in the front bar of the Peterborough Hotel and we want everyone to come in and have a chat, get around each other and, most of all, show their support for each other,” Mr Shattock said.

Premier Peter Malinauskas, who will also be in Peterborough, on Tuesday announced an extra $55 million in drought support for farmers and regional businesses.

He said the second tranche of drought assistance had been designed to complement existing federal initiatives including a farm household allowance, concessional loans, resilience planning, a farm management deposit scheme and other tax measures.

Premier Peter Malinauskas recently announced an extra $55 million in drought support for farmers and regional businesses. Picture: Morgan Hancock

The state government package includes support for regional businesses suffering as farmers close their cheque books, an immediate boost to mental health services and more money for regional standpipes.

The free Peter Party kicks off at midday in Railway Street, outside the Peterborough Hotel, and will include a free barbecue, fruit, doughnuts, live music and a basketball clinic led by former Adelaide 36ers star Al Green and current assistant coach Tim O’Dell.

Originally published as Sheffield Shield trophy to join Tony Modra and Peter Malinauskas at Peterborough drought relief party