CRICKET: Perth Scorchers star Craig Simmons knows how to face the challenge of a big occasion.
That is why he jumped at the chance to do something special for young South West cricketer Ben Nunn.
Ben, 11, was diagnosed with a progressive heart condition in January – just five days after watching Simmons smash his record-breaking century at the WACA ground.
The condition can eventually cause a complete blockage of the blood flowing from the heart and required heart bypass surgery on August 6.
Hearing about Ben’s recovery Simmons decided to take him on a tour of the haloed turf and presented him with a new bat.
“Facing challenges in a game of cricket is one thing but this is quite another,” Simmons said.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Ben score a century here one day.”
Ben told the Bunbury Mail Simmons was really friendly.
“Seeing him make a hundred was great but seeing him in person was even better,” he said.
Ben is a keen cricketer who played in a winning finals team last year.
The post-surgery outlook for Ben is very good with 95 per cent of cases needing no further treatment and he hopes to be back playing for the Leschenault Warriors in November.
