Sombreros, Hawaiian shirts and thongs aren't usually the appropriate attire for an overcast Canberra day, but when international cricket rolls into town the dress code goes out the window.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While rain fell Canberra cricket fans decked out in green and gold had packed out the Manuka Oval hill well before the first ball was bowled.
Just to the hill's left were 11 mates that simply weren't going to miss international cricket's return to the nation's capital.
Ben Marshall of Bruce put the message out to get a crew together to enjoy the cricket - once the group was organised the decision on matching outfits followed suit.
Among the group was American native Alder Martz, an American Football fan now living in Watson, in his second visit to international cricket at Manuka Oval.
"I actually first came [to Australia] when England was playing Australia for the [Ashes] Tests, and [Australia] beat them five-nil and it was huge," Martz said.
"You couldn't help but get into cricket. I love it, it's awesome."
It goes without saying cricket is quite different to American Football, but Martz has become a backyard cricket sensation and can't get enough of the atmosphere at top flight matches.
"You can hang out with your friends and drink some beers - or not - and it's such a chilled atmosphere and that's what I like about it," Martz said.
"Australians are so funny with the heckling and stuff. I've just been absolutely laughing the entire time, it's really funny."
Some may have considered staying home to steer clear of the elements, but Mitchell Lovelock-Fay of Casey certainly wasn't one of them with his mates all taking half a day off work to attend the match.
"We organised this last minute but it's paid off... Nothing was keeping us away," Lovelock-Fay said.
Marshall said "it would be rude" to miss the game with Canberra crying out for more international content.
After all, they "were either going to end up here or at the pub."
