Feldman back as Bulls Masters pay tribute to fallen heroes

Former Queensland fast bowler and policeman Luke Feldman will once again line up with the Bulls Masters this month as the organisation raises funds for families of the fallen police officers from the Wieambilla shooting last December.

The Bulls Masters, a non-profit organisation headed up by Queensland legends Jimmy Maher and Michael Kasprowicz, regularly visits the state's country towns and regional centres, boosting cricket's profile and raising funds for local clubs in the process.

This Wednesday-Friday, they head to Chinchilla, just 30 minutes from the tiny town of Wieambilla, where two police officers – as well as a civilian – were murdered on a rural property while conducting a routine welfare check late last year.

The former cricketers will conduct a cricket coaching clinic, visit the local hospital and schools, and play a T20 cricket match, with proceeds going to the Chinchilla Cricket Club and the Police Remembrance Fund for the families of the victims.

Townsville product Feldman, who has served with Queensland Police for 18 years – before, during and after a cricket career in which he claimed 268 wickets for Queensland and Brisbane Heat – and now works in Brisbane with the Missing Persons Unit, told cricket.com.au it was a cause particularly close to his heart.

"What happened would've hit every police officer in the country," said the 38-year-old, who is unable to attend the Chinchilla match but will link up with the Bulls Masters for their Bundaberg visit on February 23-26.

"The (police officers) were just going around to say, 'We got a report that someone was missing – are you OK?' They weren't looking to arrest anyone … and that happens all the time; the amount of times I did that up north on properties, where you know there are guns, but you don't think in a million years something like that is going to happen.

"Every copper probably put themselves in that situation that night, and just thought: that could've been me.

"It's great that the Bulls Masters are able to do something like this, to help look after the families of the fallen police officers through the Police Remembrance Fund."

Feldman has been touring with the Bulls Masters since his playing days and pointed out that the visits into Queensland's regional parts were about much more than raising money.

"Sport is a big one for mental health, and using sport as the vehicle to open up conversations," he added. "Just being able to say, 'How you going?' and then 'No, how you really going?' and then people start really talking – about droughts, about money, about property maintenance … and there's a lot of people who don't know there's help and assistance you can get."

Across the past 12 months, the Bulls Masters as an organisation has been too close to tragedy too regularly. In February last year, during the group's fundraising trip to Bundaberg, legendary Australia gloveman Rod Marsh, who was a guest of honour at the event, suffered a heart attack, and died eight days later.

Then in May, the death of Andrew Symonds – one of Queensland Cricket's favourite sons, a close mate of Maher's and a regular participant in Bulls Masters events – rocked the organisation.

This year's Bundaberg event will feature 10 former internationals plus rugby league icon Cameron Smith and legendary Ironman Guy Leech. More than 370 tickets for the Bulls Masters dinner have already been sold and the match is expected to attract four thousand spectators.

In memory of Symonds, the Bulls Masters' 'Remembering Roy' tour will take place in Cairns and other Far North Queensland locales from May 17-21.

For more details, head to the Bulls Masters website.