One of Dubbo's cricketing stars will be touching back down in the Central West after a long time away.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tim Armstrong, a Dubbo junior cricket all-rounder, hasn't played in Dubbo in nearly a decade, but will be returning this weekend as part of an East Sydney side that will take on the locals as part of two trial games.
"Yeah, it's good to be coming back, it's been a long time since I've played cricket in Dubbo," Armstrong said.
"I left about 2008, spent four years in Sydney, then four in Perth, then the last couple in the UK."
Armstrong, who's played across the NSW and Australian junior teams, as well as playing for the Sydney Thunder and Perth Scorchers, pushed for the Eastern Suburbs to visit Dubbo.
"I wanted to build a relationship with my old mates out in Dubbo and the Eastern Suburbs here in Sydney."
"It's obviously good for us to get out of Sydney and play some cricket this time of the year, but it's good for Dubbo, there hasn't been many Sydney teams coming out there for the last couple of years, and I think it's good to give them some exposure to some city opposition and give the kids out there something to look for in terms of how far they might want to go and take their game."
Armstrong said that the first grade team that will be meeting the locals at 6.30pm on Friday for a Twenty20 match, and then playing in a one day, 50 over game on Sunday, is missing a few players, but things have been going well.
"We've been pretty full on with the fitness, the side's that is coming out is pretty excited, they're ready to go and looking forward to it, and quietly confident."
Armstrong's also looking forward to re-establishing connections with some familiar faces when they meet at No. 1 Oval on the weekend.
"My whole life I grew up playing for RSL Colts, so I keep in touch with Jason Ryan and Mitch Bower is one of my best mates, so I keep in touch regularly with him, I think there's some familiar faces on Friday so it'll be good to catch up with them for sure," Armstrong said.
Armstrong also said he hopes the games can become a regular fixture, with more visits possible in the coming years.
"It'd be nice to see some familiar faces down there for the support, catch up and have a beer, hopefully it's something we can do year in year out going forward."