Locals watching the coverage of the final Ashes test wouldn’t have been mistaken if they thought they spotted a few familiar faces.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Milo cricketers from Tamworth, Gunnedah and Quirindi all experienced the thrill of gracing the hallowed SCG turf over course of the the five days.
It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the aspiring young cricketers, especially Tamworth’s Milo In-2-Cricket participants, who were selected to form the guard of honour for the England team when they returned to the field after lunch on day three.
“It was really cool and really unexpected,” Tamworth Milo coordinator Michael Godwin said.
They only found out five minutes before play resumed.
Godwin said it was a fantastic experience for the contingent of 14, who ranged in age from four to eight.
As well as getting to welcome the English players back out onto the field, they also participated in some activities out on the ground during the lunch break.
“Hopefully some of the memories they have, should stay with them,” he said.
“To be so close to the players and to actually get onto the SCG ground they were extremely lucky.”
For most of them too it was their first time watching a live cricket game.
“The seats that we got were really good, we got to sit in the new members stand,” Godwin said.
It followed Milo T20 Blast participants from Gunnedah, Quirindi and Tamworth being invited to play a game during the lunch break on the first day of the test.
Unfortunately, rain washed out the morning’s play and the rejigged schedule meant they weren’t able to play, but they were paraded around the ground.
Barraba’s Zac Craig also had the honour of holding the Australian flag as the players ran onto the field for the first day.
- The Milo programs start up again in Tamworth on Saturday February 3 and run through to March 24. Players can register at playcricket.com.au