NSW Blues' Trent Copeland and Scott Henry hope their visit to Dubbo during the week will help inspire local youngsters to take up the game this summer.
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The two former Western Zone players held a number of seminars and clinics on Thursday as part of Cricket NSW's Country Blitz Tour while they also helped unveil new sightscreens at Lady Cutler Oval as part of the What's Your Plan B? program.
Copeland played his junior cricket at Bathurst while Henry grew up at Mudgee and the lanky quick remembered his school days when visits from prominent sports people motivated him to play at a higher level.
"I remember growing up the NSW boys came out and played some NRMA Cup games and the Sydney Swans came out and visited and things like that were the highlight of our year at school," Copeland said.
"Hopefully we've added a little bit to these young kids' lives and they can go on and play a bit of cricket and even if they don't hopefully they've had a bit of fun."
The What's Your Plan B? initiative, supported by Transport NSW, is an anti-drink-driving campaign which promotes planning your way home from a night out and Copeland said it was something all the NSW players were happy to be a part of.
"It's really good and Transport NSW are great with their sponsorship and support of the game, especially at this level and in country areas, and the sightscreen with the Plan B drink-driving message," he said.
"It's always fine to have a few drinks after a game of cricket or any sporting event but just make sure you've got a way to get home.
"The money Transport NSW puts back in goes to these sightscreens and it's fantastic and we're really happy to support it."
After visiting a number of local primary schools on Thursday morning the Blues pair ran a clinic with juniors at Lady Cutler and Copeland even found some time to steam in and bowl a few to Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson.
While he admitted it was all good fun he said it was great to get back into country areas. With so many of the Blues squad hailing from west of the mountains, he said it was an opportunity none of the squad wanted to pass up.
"I got here and the mayor was pretty amped up to have a hit against me and he wanted to go in there without a helmet and I warned him I'd bounce him and take his head off but he took it on and did well," he laughed.
"But we often talk about our grassroots and where we grew up, Scotty being from Mudgee and me from Bathurst and there's still a lot of Western Zone guys in the squad so we always give it to each other about whose from the stronger town or city and we still reminisce so it's good to get out here and see so many happy faces and kids here who are loving the game."
