Batting for Change takes to the field

The last two cricket seasons have seen Ryan Carters achieve far more than scoring runs in the Sheffield Shield and the KFC Big Bash League.

Since launching his charity Batting for Change, Carters has raised more than $138,000 to help those in need in cricket playing nations around the world.

On Wednesday, the New South Wales batsman will launch his latest initiative to help those less fortunate – with the help of some other well-known sporting identities - when the Batting for Change XI makes its debut.

Described as a 'wandering cricket team', Carters and his Batting for Change XI - made up of current and former first-class cricketers, celebrities and supporters – will play a Twenty20 exhibition match against the 1st XI from Sydney's Barker College.

Carters will be joined by NSW teammates Ed Cowan, Nic Maddinson and Josh Lalor, Southern Stars wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy, and rugby league stars Brett Kimmorley and Matt Cooper in the Batting for Change XI, with money raised at the community event to go towards providing education to young men and women in tsunami-affected areas of Sri Lanka.

Quick single: Carters continues to bat for change

As well as supporting a worthy cause – and giving the Barker College students a chance to take on their heroes -  Carters has a wider vision for what his travelling band of players can achieve.

"It’s a brand new concept we're kicking off, and we plan to take it to schools and cricket clubs around Sydney initially," Carters told cricket.com.au.

"We'll have some celebrity sportspeople, personalities, general cricket lovers and misfits coming together to play against a school team and raise money on the day.

"It provides a link to the next generation of upcoming cricketers and shows them that as well as playing cricket, they can also think about the bigger picture.

"They can see how playing cricket can help provide an education to people similar to them who are growing up in other cricket-playing nations, but without the same materials around them."

"I'm sure the students will also be looking to bowl out a Test cricketer or hit a Big Bash cricketer out of the park."

Already $25,000 has been pledged for the charity match, with further fundraising activities to take place throughout the game.

Quick single: Not your average cricketer

Carters started his charity Batting for Change in 2013 after visiting Nepal and seeing the poverty and lack of access to education. 

WATCH: Carters travels to Nepal for Hughes tribute match

For the past two Big Bash League seasons, Batting for Change has made the most of the big-hitting nature of the competition to help those less fortunate.

People sign up to pledge whatever they can afford – from a dollar or two through to thousands (in the case of philanthropic corporates) – to donate to the initiative’s partner organisation the LBW (Learning for a Better World) Trust every time Carters or one of his Sydney Sixers teammates clears the fence when batting.

The more pledgers and sixes, the more money goes towards those less fortunate, and when the campaign kicked off in BBL|03 Batting for Change raised $30,000.

With the money raised, the LBW Trust – which delivers educational opportunities for disadvantaged communities throughout the cricket world and includes Greg Chappell, Adam Gilchrist, Rahul Dravid and Kumar Sangakkara among its patrons – was able to build three new classrooms at the Heartland School in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Quick single: Finch, Carters enter record books

Carters then set about reaching a BBL|04 target of $66,666 for the university education of 500 women in Mumbai, but smashed the goal as the final tally reached $108,000.

Now, he has his sights set on even bigger targets in BBL|05.

The Batting for Change XI v Barker College game will kick off at 3.30pm AEDT on Wednesday, November 11 on the Main Oval, College Crescent, Waitara.

For more information visit www.battingforchange.com.au or on Facebook at Batting for Change