NSW Speedblitz Blues players Ben Rohrer and Will Somerville were hampered by a rain-affected region  although still managed to put hundreds of North West schoolkids through their paces, beginning on Wednesday in Gunnedah.

Every year, NSW players pair up and bowl into country regions to promote the game and encourage schoolkids to get active and involved.

On Wednesday the pair were met by over 200 primary schoolkids for a T20 Blast tournament and net session at Gunnedah South Primary School before a session of question and answers.

“There were some good young fast bowlers there,” Somerville said. 

“They were getting a bit of swing as well.” 

Following the tournament , one young Gunnedah player tested the pair with a good question about where their passion for the game comes from.

“It was a great question because that is what our message is all about,” Rohrer said.

“You always have to enjoy playing the game and playing with your mates because that is the point of any sport.” 

New Zealand-born off spinner Somerville explained that playing cricket was all he ever wanted to do growing up.

Following the school session, the pair hit the golden arches for a shift in the sponsor’s restaurant.

Somerville manned the drive-through window while Rohrer was given a role front of house helping with orders, afterwards observing that they should stick with cricket.

“It was really hard keeping up and working the computer,” Somerville said.

Rohrer was eventually sent out the back to make burgers.

“There ended up being sauce everywhere but on the burger – I am not good at making burgers,” he said. 

Following their shift, they ran a session with some senior kids at Gunnedah High.

Yesterday the pair went to Manilla to run another Blast but were met by storm clouds as well as hundreds of kids.

“We ended up in a little hall with all these kids but got some good sessions done,” Rohrer said.

The batsmn said  all the kids knew and asked about Bendemeer bolter Josh Hazlewood, who has played himself into the Australian side this year as a fast bowler.

“They all know about him and want to be like Josh and bowl fast,” Rohrer said.

“He is another example of how many good players, especially in the NSW squad, are from country areas.” 

Yesterday afternoon the sessions in Tamworth were abandoned due to the rain, although the Blues duo are in Armidale today, running another blast.

Their final engagement this afternoon will be taking the region’s more gifted cricketers through a net session and talking to them about what it takes to be a professional in the sport.

“It takes persistence and commitment  but you always have to be enjoying the game,” Rohrer said.

“They can’t worry about not making teams when they are young and we are perfect examples of that.

“I didn’t play first class until I was 26 and Will was 30,” he said. 

The batsman and spinner will head back to Sydney this afternoon to resume training, with the Sheffield Shield season due to get underway at the end of this month.