FOR some cricket fanatics, standing in the long shadow of former Australian paceman Merv Hughes might seem a little daunting.
But for Brimbank College students Matthew Marshall and Aaron Alki, meeting the mustachioed Aussie icon was just one stage of a cricket journey they will remember for the rest of their lives.
“(He’s) a great guy,” said 17-year-old all-rounder and St Albans resident Matthew.
“He likes to have a bit of a laugh,” he said, with an understated tone, but not going into any of the bowler’s infamous sporting hijinx.
The pair, who play for the St Albans Cricket Club, recently spent five days in New Zealand on a brief cricket tour, where they had the chance to play against some of the country’s brightest upcoming stars.
Matthew and Aaron were two of about 14 high school students from suburbs across Melbourne’s West selected to play in the international touring team after weeks of intense training with the Crusaders-Merv Hughes Foundation.
The not-for-profit foundation, together with Western Chances, offers children and teenagers in the West opportunities and scholarships.
For 17-year-old Aaron, from Kings Park, it was his first time overseas and a chance to let his cricket skills shine.
He took five wickets against a New Zealand country representative side in the team’s only match.
The other two scheduled matches were rained out.
“I made good mates, not only with the people I went there with, but in New Zealand,” he said.
While Merv wasn’t able to make it on the trip overseas, he was at some of the training sessions, passing the mantle of role model onto another famous big man.
Brownlow medallist Peter Bedford escorted the group over to New Zealand, where he provided the players with inspiration and guidance
And last week Peter visited Brimbank College, to talk to students about utilising their talents, not just on the sporting field, but in everyday life.
“If you’ve got the talent you can’t have a bad attitude,” Aaron said, speaking about the speech Peter gave last Monday to the college.
“If you want to put your head to something you can do it,” he said.
It appears this attitude has helped both Aaron and Matthew in getting picked to tour New Zealand, and both say they will take the advice, and their experience overseas, with them through the rest of their lives.
