As England celebrate the first win in this year’s Ashes, Virgin chief Richard Branson has praised the team and their ‘bonza’ performance following the stunt that riled Australians and saw him appear on the Sydney Harbour Bridge before the first test, to help launch Virgin Media’s ‘Fifty50’ charity initiative.
The company has already pledged £8,000 to charity following the first two Ashes tests in Cardiff and at Lord’s, where England finally beat Australia for the first time in 75 years.
The unique initiative will see the UK’s leading broadband provider donate £1,000 to charity every time an England batsman scores a half century during the series, to celebrate the national roll-out of it’s ultrafast 50Mb broadband service.
Delighted with the team’s performance to date, cricket fan Richard Branson said; “You beauty! What a bonza performance by England’s boys – I’m absolutely over the moon that we took the second test at Lord’s. England put in a fantastic performance and the team have already reached eight half centuries to date, raising £8,000 for charity in the process through Virgin Media’s ‘Fifty50’ initiative. It seems that our little stunt in Sydney has riled the Australian team by putting pressure on them, whilst our charity incentive has equally spurred on the England team. All I can say is once again, good luck at Edgbaston Ricky…you’ll need it!”
Following England’s draw in Cardiff and superb win at Lord’s this week, no fewer than five England players have already reached the half century milestone on eight separate occasions: Kevin Pietersen, who scored 69 in the first innings of the Cardiff test will see £1,000 donated to children’s charity Barnardo’s;
Matt Prior who ran in 56 in the first test and 61 in the second raised £2,000 for his chosen charity;Paul Collingwood who has managed three half centuries to date in the series, racking up 64 and 74 runs in the first test and 54 at Lord’s, raising £3,000 to be split between Marie Curie and Chance to Shine;
Alistair Cook, who managed an impressive 95 in the second test raising £1,000 for Young Lords Taverners; and Captain Andrew Strauss, whose unforgettable 161 in the first innings of the second test .
The unique ‘Fifty50’ scheme will run throughout The Ashes and will see Virgin Media donate to a selection of good causes favoured by the England players. Launched by former England skipper and Yorkshire player Michael Vaughan, the charity donations will go to each English batman’s chosen charity, every time he scores 50 runs or more in a single innings, throughout the series.