THE Prince of Wales knew his turn was coming, and when asked to show off his cricket skills at the MCG, he didn't hesitate.
Prince Charles stopped by the MCG today, watching about 50 young Victorians hone their skills in a clinic.
"I knew someone would say that - OK, give it to me," the Prince said after someone urged him to have a bowl.
Perhaps sensing his slow, short deliveries weren't quite matching the standard set by the youngsters, he reminded them: "I broke my arm in two places, so I can't do it as well as I used to."
The Prince mingled with Victorian Bushrangers Cameron White and David Hussey, state sporting dignitaries and dozens of local young players from various cricket leagues.
He asked the wide-eyed youngsters of indigenous, intellectually-disabled, ethically diverse and other backgrounds in Cricket Victoria's Harmony clinic about their love of the game and urged them to keep it up.
Akat Mayoum, 16, who plays for the multicultural Sunshine Heights team, said the Prince was "a pretty friendly chap; really relaxed".
The Prince will now join his wife, Camilla the Dutchess of Cornwall, at the Melbourne Cup in Flemington.
Earlier, the Prince of Wales has been welcomed with cheers from fans before trying his hand at tapestry during a tour of the Australian Tapestry Workshop in South Melbourne.
The royal couple arrived at Melbourne Airport in a private jet just after 10pm last night ahead of their three-day stay in Melbourne.
The couple's visit is part of a Pacific tour of Papua New Guinea, Australia and NZ for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
The couple will spend six days in Australia, visiting Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Sydney and Canberra.
Read more on the Herald Sun.
