England’s rapid collapse in the first Ashes Test may have disappointed cricket fans expecting five days of action, but it turned into an unexpected positive for many Western Australians. With the match finishing in just two days — the shortest Ashes Test by overs bowled to produce a result since 1888 — Perth Stadium was left with large amounts of unused food.
Western Australia’s Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti said on Instagram that the stadium quickly redirected the surplus to schools, charities, and women’s refuges.
“When it became clear the match would wrap up early, the Optus Stadium team moved fast to minimise waste,” she wrote.
According to Saffioti, the donations included large pallets of fruit and vegetables, sandwiches, dairy products, and bread. The stadium even handed over 450 kilograms of tomatoes, which are now being turned into passata.
Saffioti praised the effort as “community spirit at its best.”
