The Australian cricket team added further to its increasing number of visits to Darwin with the squad’s seven day visit last week for pre-season training, briefing and acclimatisation prior to its tour to Asia.

Of the 30 players involved in the visit, about half will be selected for the September visit to the UAE for a series of ODIs and Twenty20 matches against Pakistan and one ODI game against Afghanistan’ followed by the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

George Bailey, the new Australian Twenty20 captain for the imminent tour, at a media interview at the Darwin Convention Centre.

The Darwin Convention Centre had the privilege of hosting the squad for briefing and pre-season media activities on the first day of the camp.

Practice one day matches were played at the Marrara Cricket Ground following the recent upgrading of the facility to provide a venue for first class matches as part of the NT government’s strategy to bring top class sport to the Territory.

Those games will have left lasting memories for the talented emerging Territory cricketers who had the opportunity to play alongside their cricket heroes.

The team took several opportunities to meet the local community with players involved in MILO in2CRICKET sign on activities and clinics at Marrara Cricket Ground. The players also visited Dripstone Middle School and made a trip to Garden Point on the Tiwi Islands.

The Centre’s staff enjoyed meeting Australia’s cricket champions who thanked the Centre for the service they received and the facilities and presentation of the Centre and expressed the hope they might return for next year’s camp.