'Cricket tragic' student to tour with Indian Under 19 cricket squad
Indian cricket legend Bishen Bedi has invited University of Newcastle student Scott Sharma to tour England with India's Under 19 cricket squad.
Mr Sharma impressed Bedi - the squad's coach - when playing for Newcastle's Under 19s side against Bedi's team last season.
18-year-old Mr Sharma, who is studying a Bachelor of Civil and Environmental Engineering degree, will fly out of Newcastle on Tuesday 3 July for London.
He will spend one month touring England with the Indian squad, and then two months training in India, which will include time with Australian cricketing great Dennis Lillee.
Mr Sharma, from Elermore Vale, plays First Grade for Wallsend District Cricket and said he was excited to be offered such a great opportunity.
"Since I started playing cricket at the age of nine, I didn't think that I would ever get to train with the great Dennis Lillee and tour with a team of such high class," he said.
"Not everyone gets to say that they have been coached by one of the best bowlers in the world.
"Dennis Lillee is an all time legend and I hope to continue a relationship with him after the tour.
"My family and friends are all cricket tragics and everyone is asking me to get Dennis Lillee's autograph!
"As well as the amazing experience I will have from training and playing overseas, it will be great to learn about Indian culture and customs.
"Being Indian, this is a great honour for me, my family and the Newcastle Indian community."
Mr Sharma previously toured England as part of the 2005 NSW Combined High Schools squad.
He is now part of the Newcastle Under 21 team and will celebrate his 19th birthday in London.