Kia Backs Young Quick Bowler Nic Bills

SYDNEY – Nov 2, 2011: Kia Motors Australia has added promising young NSW fast bowler Nic Bills to its Ambassador program.

Bills, a 19-year-old pace bowler who plays his Grade cricket with North Sydney, has enjoyed a meteoric rise from school cricketer to a rookie contract with NSW within the space of two seasons.

“It has been a pretty exciting ride so far, but there is still a way to go and I know that means a lot more hard work,” Bills said. “I am very pleased to be associated with Kia who _ in their own way _ are also on a fast-track rise.”

Both Bills and Kia are reaping the rewards of a focus on hard work and performance in fields of endeavour in which there is no shortage of competitor talent.

“Supporting Nic is an excellent opportunity for Kia to build a relationship with a young and talented sportsman who understands the challenge of being the new boy on the block,” Kia Motors Australia President and CEO Mk Kim said.

“Like Nic, Kia is a relative newcomer to our area of competition and, again like Nic, we are enjoying the rewards of hard work and careful planning with the growing popularity of the Kia brand.”

Bills, who only started playing cricket about five years ago to keep up with his mates at the prestigious King’s School in Sydney, quickly came under the notice of school coach and former Australian Test player Trevor Chappell.

His rise within the school competition was quickly matched by that in senior competition where he broke into the North Sydney First Grade side and with a season return of 47 wickets at 15.83 came to the notice of the NSW selectors.

Bills played in three Futures League matches where, he took seven wickets with a best of 4-36 before making his First Class debut against Western Australia at the SCG in March, 2011.

This season Bills has also been contracted to the Sydney Thunder in the 20/20 Big Bash League where he will share duties with Australian players David Warner, Doug Bollinger, Philip Hughes and Usman Khawaja along with West Indies legend, Chris Gayle.