Born in South Sudan, 14-year-old Bol Abien's first language was a mixture of Dinka and Arabic.
He and his family fled the violence from the civil war in Sudan, seeking asylum in Australia in 2004.
First he learned English, then he learned cricket.
"Cricket was easier, English was a bit harder to learn," he said.
"I got used to cricket much quicker, for me it was easy."
Dreaming of one day being the first Sudanese-born Australian to wear the baggy green, Bol competes in Sunshine Height's cricket club's under-15 side and occasionally the seniors.
Bowlers Bol Abien and Danush Dandeni Arachchige (SBS) Source: SBS
"They give you a lot of opportunities, like right now I'm playing seniors cricket. In the semi-finals last year I got five wickets in the game it was good, it was a good achievement," he said.
"Everyone here is friendly and they care about the kids, we parents are very happy in this club."
More than 60 per cent of the club's players hail from non-traditional cricketing countries.
Sunshine Height coach Matthew Shawcross said the club boasted players from South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Coach Matthew Shawcross and president Paul Stockwell doing drills with the kids (SBS) Source: SBS
He said while many players had no grounding in cricket, it can be a benefit.
"In lots of ways I actually find it easier because the children haven't grown up with the game they haven't developed any bad habits so you're coaching them from absolute scratch," he said.
Sunshine Heights President Paul Stockwell said many kids join the club having experienced life in a refugee camp, and over the cricket season they build up confidence in their game and other aspects of their life.
"We really see them grow in terms of their cricket ability but also their confidence and we hope that transfers over to the rest of their lives," he said.
Tereza Ayat has three sons who play cricket at Sunshine Heights.
She's also employed as a multicultural transport aid, providing information to parents in language and driving kids to training and matches.
Tereza Ayat watches training (SBS) Source: SBS
Ms Ayat said the club was a second home to many families.
"My boy started when he was eight-years-old, he's growing a lot in cricket, it's good," she said.
"Everyone here is friendly and they care about the kids, we parents are very happy in this club."
The cricket club also runs a program in collaboration with a local primary school to get kids from refugee and migrant backgrounds to try cricket during the school hours.
Those interested are then invited to come along to the club.
As well as offering transport for children whose parents don't have cars, the club also tries to provide registration fee subsidies and sporting equipment to make the game accessible.
Danush Dandeni Arachchige, 14, started playing cricket at the club four years ago, and said the best part has been making new friends.
"When I first came to this club, they straight away included me I didn't feel pressured or anything I felt comfortable," he said.
"The best part would be playing with your mates, because that's the most fun, just having fun in cricket and when you have your mates with you that's the best."
Like most of the kids in the Sunshine Heights club, Danush would like to one day play for Australia.
But coach Matthew Shawcross is aiming higher than that for his players.
"We want our young people to also to wear the baggy green of nursing, or the baggy green of teaching or the baggy green of accounting, whatever is it they want to achieve in life."
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