“There’s plenty of chat while you’re batting, so you learn to stay composed and focus on your cricket instead of getting into conflicts. The challenges build confidence on and off the pitch — and when you actually speak to lads you might judge from the outside, you understand who they really are.”

“A big lesson was knowing there’s always someone with experience here to help you develop. It’s competitive but friendly — that good pressure during games pushed my skills on.”

“By playing in the tournament I’ve become more confident and social. You’re around different people every week — friends of friends — and that’s true across all the Cricket Arena tournaments. Being in this community makes me feel open and comfortable with the social side.”