Nestled amongst kilometres of dirt roads, 220km southwest of Darwin and surrounded by farmlands lies Douglas Daly School. A small school located on the Douglas Daly Research Farm which provides education services to students in early to middle years who reside in the local area.
Douglas-Daly is a hot spot for fishing in the both Douglas and Daly rivers, with surrounding properties farming Mahogany Trees, Sandalwood trees, turf, hay, dry cotton and lemons.
Earlier this week, the NT Cricket Community Cricket team embarked on an overnight trip to Douglas Daly to give the students, teachers and their families a taste of cricket.
Despite the small number of students who attend the school, their enthusiasm for the game was infectious. From mastering the basics of batting and bowling to understanding the intricacies of fielding, the seven students embraced every aspect with keen interest and determination. The passion these students showed was inspiring; nothing was too challenging, nothing was worth complaining about, they had a crack at every game or drill, no matter how complex.
The adventure didn't just end with the cricket clinic, in fact – it was only just getting started. After school, a Mums vs Students cricket match was played on the school's concrete cricket pitch. It was an amazing afternoon filled with laughter and fierce competition. If you thought the mums would take it easy on the students, think again!
At NT Cricket, we are driven by the mission to spread the joy of cricket to every corner of the Territory, regardless of geographical limitations. If you are interested in having NT Cricket facilitate sessions at your school, see here.