Cricket: Nat Young to play for Australian intellectual disability team in International Cricket Inclusion Series

And for an Aussie cricketer there is no bigger thrill than doing it against the old enemy.

Four months after watching the men's and women's teams secure an Ashes double, Tamworth cricketer Nat Young is preparing for his own Ashes test.

The South Tamworth allrounder will on Tuesday make his way up to Brisbane to go into camp with the Australian intellectual disability (ID) side ahead of their games against England as part of the International Cricket Inclusion Series.

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Along with the deaf and blind teams they will play five T20's and three ODI matches.

The biggest moment of his sporting life, Nat's father Mark said the 29-year can't wait.

"He's feeling very positive and very excited to represent Australia," he said.

Mark will be heading up with him and is understandably proud of what his son has achieved.

"Needless to say it will be an incredible time when he makes his debut," he said.

"It's just sensational and just so proud of him."

"He's had to really show perseverance, and had to overcome huge challenges as a young boy."

Also an avid golfer, Nat warmed up for his cricketting tourney by taking out the 18-hole event at the Special Olympics tournament in Armidale on Sunday.

Run by the North West New England club, it drew participants from as far as Sydney, the North Coast and Mid North Coast.

The Tamworth Golf Club member is no stranger to success on the fairways.

Last year he won the stableford event at the NSW Inclusive Championship, and just last month was named in the NSW team to compete at the National Games in Launceston in October.

Cricket though is his No.1 passion, Mark said.

He has been part of the wider Australian training squad since 2020, his selection in that coming on the back of his performance at the nationals, where he had the honour of captaining NSW in their first two games.

The only NSW player in the final 14, the week-long camp at the National Cricket Campus, will be the first time Nat will meet his team-mates. The team for the nationals was only announced recently, following a training camp in Sydney in April.

"The Australian coach flew in from Adelaide; there were a couple of players he wanted to see," Mark said.

"Nat was one of them."

Primarily selected as a batsmen, he said Nat has with his batting been really focusing on trying to hit the ball "faster and stronger", and with his bowling being a bit shorter with his length.

With the cricket season over, he has been spending plenty of time in the nets including weekly sessions with South Tamworth stalwart John Kilborn.

Mark said Kilborn has just been "amazing" with his support and training. He also acknowledged the support Nat has received from Challenge, where he works.

What has also been fantastic, he said, is the support around town.

"Just around the place he's had people stop him and just say congratulations Nat," he said.

"That's been wonderful."

The series runs from June 8-17.

It will be a big test for the Aussies with the Poms having the wood over them in recent times.

"I don't think Australia's beaten England in this format for about seven years," Mark said.

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