Cricketer Nick Gargaro selected for England’s Australia tour

FOREST cricketer Nick Gargaro will fly out on the England Seniors tour to Australia.

Hampshire, Bashley (Rydal), and New Milton player and coach Gargaro has been selected for the Grey Ashes holders England Over-60s touring party.

England will look to retain the urn again after doing so in July 2023 after prevailing 3-2 in a hotly contested series.

Hampshire Cricket pathway coach Gargaro has been involved with New Milton CC for over 30 years as a player and coach, and more recently at Bashley (Rydal) CC.

Since retiring in 2020, Nick has been heavily involved with the Hampshire Cricket Pathway, coaching both boys and girls and the Hampshire Hawks Southampton City Academy.

After shifting his focus to seniors cricket, he captained Hampshire 50s. He then played for England 50s and went on tours to Sri Lanka and South Africa before being selected for the England 60s series against Pakistan, Wales and Scotland this summer.

Speaking after his call-up for the England 60s tour to Australia, Gargaro said: “I am hugely honoured and excited to represent England and to tour Australia has been a lifelong ambition of mine.

“The tour is going to be physically demanding with 14 games over 32 days across five different states. We have trained hard over the last few months as a squad and are really looking forward to taking on our biggest cricketing rivals in their backyard.

“I feel so lucky and thankful to now have this amazing opportunity after being involved in cricket for over 50 years.”

Outside of the Ashes, England finished second in the 2024 Over-60s World Cup in February before defeating Pakistan 3-1 in the summer.

In 2023, the team won the Caribbean Cup and were joint Canada Cup winners alongside the Grey Ashes.

Anyone wishing to watch the international games live can watch for free by searching England Over 60s Cricket on Facebook.