The students of Cooma North Public School were in awe of Australia's top cricketers but it was members of the Rural Fire Service who they greeted like heroes.
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Australian cricketers Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, and Sophie Molineux used a day off from their training schedule to visit the Monaro Fire Control Centre in Cooma on Wednesday, showing their support to those battling the bushfires.
The Orroral Valley bushfire continues to rage out of control in Canberra's south and has burnt more than 15,000 hectares, while areas of the Kosciuszko National Park have been burning for weeks.
So the chance to learn and say thank you to the members of the NSW Rural Fire Service was never going to escape the Australian cricket side.
The trio had an overview of the station's control room and learned about the logistics behind organising a fire ground, before visiting a local school in Cooma.
They also attended a community meeting in Numeralla, where they also helped volunteers prepare meals for the firefighters.
RFS officer Beth Slender has been away from her hometown of Forbes for eight weeks helping bushfire affected communities.
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Slender and her colleague Dez White led the cricketer's visit to southern NSW and says it was fantastic to see their show of support to the RFS and local area.
"I think it gives some reprieve to isolated communities, that beyond the local community they're being thought of," Slender said.
"It provides a platform through to the greater Australian community, to recognise what other parts of the country are going through.
"Everyone has committed above and beyond to get this under control. It's been different for us because we've had to manage communities in a different light to what we have done before - this fire season is different."
Slender, White and the cricketers attended a school assembly at Cooma North Public School and spent their visit answering questions.
But not all children asked about cricket, half of their questions were directed to the firefighters.
"The students were in absolute awe of the cricket players but it was also a bit unexpected because [Dez and I] received a hero's welcome as well," Slender said.
"It was really lovely to see. Some of our sporting heroes to which we've always put on a higher platform, we're also being lifted up to that platform as well."
The Australian cricket team are preparing for a Twenty20 Tri-Series between England and India, which starts at Manuka Oval on Friday.
The smoke blanketing the capital from the surrounding bushfires forced the national side to adjust their training schedule, while England moved their morning session indoors on Thursday.
The Tri-Series clashes will fall under the ICC's air quality guidelines, which puts the decision in match official's hands.
It also states they should consider suspending play when the air quality index reaches 200, but especially once it's reached 300.
Australian captain Lanning holds no concerns over the conditions and says it has only slightly impacted their training schedule so far.
"It was a little bit smoky [on Thursday] morning and we just sort of flicked things around," Lanning said.
"It didn't stop us from doing anything, we were just being smart and not taking any undue risks. Our doctor is keeping an eye on it, so it's really out of our hands.
"It's nothing to be concerned about if we get delayed or things happen like that.
"We just have to deal with it, with the fires going on there's a lot of devastation around the country and they're the people we need to worry about and support."
T20 Tri-Series at Manuka Oval
Friday: India v England at 2.10pm
Saturday: Australia v India at 2pm
Sunday: Australia v England at 2pm