Two cricketers hailing from the Hunter region both end up playing together at the same English county.
Of all the places in all the world, what are the chances?
The answer seems pretty unlikely, maybe even attracting some fairly long odds, but it's the prospect facing fast-bowler Michael Hogan and all-rounder Grant Stewart at Kent this year.
"Yeah, pretty strange coincidence really. Not sure anyone would have picked it," Stewart told the Newcastle Herald.
Hogan agreed with that sentiment: "Bit of a strange one and odd how it all panned out, but looking forward to it".
Although at different stages of their respective careers and with 13 years between them, 1981-born Hogan and 1994-baby Stewart have actually crossed paths before.
Just halfway around the globe, rather than No.1 Sportsground, Nobbys Beach or the Queens Wharf Hotel.
Stewart recalls his first-class debut for Kent from six years ago, playing against Hogan's decade-long county Glamorgan.
"At that stage I was just pretty stoked to be making my debut," Stewart said.
"We lost the game, but I guess little things like taking your first wicket and getting off the mark are always nice memories.
"Not sure if he [Hogan] would remember, but he did have a bit of a chat to me when I was at the non-striker's end while batting.
"Probably helped settle the nerves of being on debut a little bit, which was good of him helping out a fellow Newcastle boy."
Hogan says shared geography creates a unique "connection" point for the Aussie pair plying their sporting trade overseas.
"A couple of white-ball games and first-class games a few years back, so we've played against each other," Hogan said.
"I don't know Stewy that well, but being from Newcastle there's that connection there. So we've always had a bit of a conversation."
Stewart, who turns 29 in February, was raised on a Maitland turf farm and joined nearby club Norths before making the move to University and representing NSW Country in 2015-16.
Since 2017 he's notched up 100 appearances for Kent across all three formats, including English T20 and one-day titles.
Hogan, who turns 42 in May, was playing pub cricket on concrete pitches before linking with Merewether and eventually debuting for Western Australia in 2009.
He now has 931 professional wickets to his name. The right-armer was on the verge of retiring last year after bidding farewell to Glamorgan, but opted to take up a contract at Kent in 2023.
Both players carry dual passports - British for Hogan and Italian for Stewart.
While now enjoying time at home, Newcastle's T20 Summer Bash draw had them pitted on opposite sides last weekend but rain intervened and a clash between the pending teammates never eventuated.
The English county season starts in April.
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