Jarryd Hayne has been left feeling nostalgic and homesick after being presented with a signed bat by the Australian cricket team.
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The former NRL star, now playing with San Francisco in the NFL, said he felt overwhelmed when presented with the signed blade at 49ers headquarters.
"This is unreal – I'll be getting this framed," Hayne told cricket.com.au.
Aussie @49ers star @JarrydHayne spoke with @samuelfez about his cricket heroes & much more: http://t.co/Bpa4zE4CRY pic.twitter.com/65AMSi7UVa— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus)
September 26, 2015
The ex-Parramatta Eels star said that holding the bat took him back to last summer.
"Me and my mates went mental with beach cricket," he said. "There was nothing better. When I was back home, it was probably one of the 'funnest' summers I've had – beach cricket, a few cold beers and the boys."
The bat from Steve Smith's side will be in good company, joining an Adam Gilchrist bat Hayne bought at auction in 2008. Hayne labelled Gilchrist "a favourite of mine" and described an encounter meeting former captain Ricky Ponting that left him speechless.
"Ricky Ponting was awesome. I got to meet him once and that was great, I was a bit shell-shocked to be honest. And I didn't realise how short he is – I think all the best batters are so short."
Cricket is a Origin match-day ritual for the NSW camp and Hayne recalled some games becoming pretty intense.
"Some of those games we got a bit carried away – it was almost to the point where it was like, 'Come on boys, we've got a game tonight – we can't be going too silly on the cricket!'"