SYDNEY Sixers stars Dan Fallins and Sarah Aley dropped in to Wayne Richards Park on Wednesday as part of the club's statewide Community Blast program.
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They ran keen young players through a variety of training drills including catching, bowling and batting to herald the start of the summer of cricket.
As recently as last year, Fallins dropped in to Port Macquarie on the way to Brisbane.
"Last off-season I came through Port Macquarie on a road trip up to Brisbane, had a stop off at Town Beach and ate a pizza on the hill there which was good," he recalled.
"I love doing this sort of stuff; it's pretty easy going to the schools and I know if someone like this came to my school when I was young I would have loved it.
"The kids are always great and ask funny and insightful questions so it's good fun to get away from the seriousness of it for a couple of days."
Fallins recently returned from a three-week tour of India with the Cricket Australia national performance squad.
He hopes that experience against Indian side Kerala will set him up well for potential selection in the Sixers team when their Big Bash League season starts on December 18.
"I'm enjoying my cricket now more than ever; it's been a long pre-season since June, but all the fitness is tapering off now and we're getting into match skills and had a few trial games," he said.
The 23-year-old will battle spinners such as Steve O'Keeffe and Nathan Lyon for selection this summer although Lyon will spend most of his time in the Australian side.
"It's good, healthy competition at NSW so all I try to do is learn off those blokes and just be ready whenever the opportunity comes," Fallins said.
"Steve O'Keeffe had an injury last year and I had about a day and a half notice before a Shield game.
"I think it's about being prepared and ready for any moment you get an opportunity because being in such a strong squad you don't get too many.
"Spinners don't really hit their peak until mid to late 20s so I've got a lot of time and happy to be where I'm at."
Fallins was enjoying being back in Sydney playing for a team he supported in the inaugural Big Bash League.
"I enjoyed my time in Melbourne, but it was always the plan to come back to the Sixers and join these boys," he said.
"I was a junior fan when they first came out in BBL01 - I got the card, the lanyard and the sweatband so it is cool I get to play for a team I supported when I was younger."
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