Sport is something that brings people together in good times and bad. Every year at the Willowfest Australian Cricket Club Championships that is on display namely with the Manna XI team. Founded in 2016 while the late Brad Manna – a popular sporting figure in Sunraysia – was still fighting brain cancer, the Manna XI continues strong today in his memory three years after his passing. Angus Dearlove chatted with Manna XI skipper Danen Sandiman about the team’s success. Picture: Meagan Verstappen
MANNA XI skipper Danen Sandiman says he wants to see the team continue for as long as it possibly can.
The team is a great example of mateship and support, having been established for the 2016 Willowfest Australian Cricket Club Championships in support of the late Brad Manna.
Manna died in 2017 of brain cancer, but when this team started he was still fighting it and a group of his mates decided they would play as a fundraiser for the Fire Brigade Cricket Club.
Sadly Manna passed away in 2017, however the team has lived on.
“We’re trying to take it as long as we can go, win, lose or draw no matter what, we’re here to play for one man and one man only, Brad Manna,” Sandiman says.
“I’d hope it goes for another 20 years plus.
“We actually didn’t think it would be four seasons in, but we are, the guys that put the shirt on play with their heart and soul every game.”
And the team has had success in the competition’s Twenty20 grade, with their quest for a third straight title just falling short this week after losing the grand final to St Andrew’s Cricket Club from Victoria’s South West.
Such is the popularity of the team, Sandiman says sometimes the most difficult part is managing the list of players – with more than 20 putting their hand up this year.
“It is a small comp and it’s hard to fit 22 players in, we try our best, we might play 2-3 every game,” Sandiman says.
“We try to rotate it … we had a big funeral on Monday so we had to change it to qualify players.
“It’s hard, you don’t want to really want to drop anyone.”
As well as being in memory of Manna, the team is also doing plenty of work to raise crucial funding to help others fight brain cancer.
“All the donations, all the proceeds, go to the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation,” Sandiman says.
“So it’s a good cause.”
Wristbands for sale and donations help the Manna XI do its part for fundraising.
“We’ve got a few major sponsors, including Chemist Warehouse and J2 Fitness (Justin Frankel from that business is a member of the team), all match fees go towards that and if we take it out all proceeds go to the foundation,” Sandiman says.
On the field with its past successes the Manna XI has shown they are more than just a few blokes doing it for a mate – they are capable of some exciting cricket.
This was on show on Sunday when the team needed six off the final ball of the innings to take it to a super over against grand final opponent St Andrew’s in their final minor round game with skipper Sandiman on strike.
The man they call “Rat” delivered to send the match to a tiebreaker, and although the team couldn’t get it done it was still a memorable moment.
“I had no faith in myself, I’d missed the first two and was getting a little worried but it was good to get a half tracker and a bit of wood on it and it just sailed and I’m like ‘please’,” Sandiman laughs.
