‘WE’RE A VERY CLOSE FAMILY’
SPORTS PRESENTER MEL MCLAUGHLIN ON HER CHILDHOOD LOVE OF CRICKET
For Mel Mclaughlin, cricket will always remind her of happy times with her family.
The sports presenter, who is part of Channel Seven’s cricket coverage this summer, recalls playing cricket at her childhood home in Quakers Hill, in Sydney’s western suburbs.
“I really do associate cricket with getting out to play backyard cricket and running around,” Mel, 39, tells New Idea.
“Sport wasn’t forced on me, but I remember watching cricket and other sports with my dad.”
In August, Mel paid tribute to her older sister, Tara, who died of lung cancer in 2015. Mel has no children of her own, but she has a great relationship with her five nieces and nephews, including her sister Tara’s two sons. “We’re a very close family and we see each other all the time,” she says. And if she did have children, would she insist they play sport? “If I ever did, the kids could do whatever they wanted to do, and hopefully it’s sport,” she says.
Proving she really was a cricket diehard at a young age, Mel says she once took her HSC textbooks to the cricket to “study”.
“I had the chemistry textbook on my lap and I took a photo of myself with the book, but I obviously didn’t study,” she laughs.
Seven this year grabbed the rights to the cricket from the Nine Network in a deal worth $450 million. On Thursday, Mel co-hosts Seven’s coverage of the First Test between Australia and India, live from Adelaide Oval.
“I’m so excited,” Mel enthuses. “The cricket will have a different feel at Seven, with a mix of different people.
“There are some absolute legends [on the commentary team], like Ricky Ponting who, to me, is the best of the best, and Glenn Mcgrath.
“People love hearing their stories. They’re from such a golden era.”
“THE KIDS COULD DO WHATEVER THEY WANTED TO DO, AND HOPEFULLY IT’S SPORT”