Eoin Morgan and Tara Ridgway on Christmas Day 2013. Picture: Tara Ridgway — Twitter
Source: Supplied
GLAMOROUS university student Tara Ridgway is the radiant Adelaide beauty who has captured the heart of England cricket captain Eoin Morgan.
And the Scotch College graduate and part-time model did it knowing very little, and caring even less, for the sport her boyfriend plays.
Only close friends and family know the enduring love affair between the 21-year-old daughter of David Ridgway, Liberal leader in South Australan Parliament’s Legislative Council, and the dashing Irish-born captain of the England ODI team, began in an Adelaide bar over four years ago.
Despite a seven-year-age gap, the tyranny of distance, and some recent salacious tabloid headlines, friends and family say the couple’s relationship has been “rock solid” and the expectation is for “wedding bells”.
England captain Eoin Morgan says his side was way off the mark against Sri Lanka in their World Cup clash at Westpac Stadium.
After a globetrotting relationship on several continents, the devoted couple is this weekend together again in Adelaide, where the under-pressure Morgan will lead England against Bangladesh in a critical World Cup match on Monday.
The English Cricket Board has imposed a strict “no comment” policy on the wives and girlfriends (WAGs) of its players as the team battles to make the World Cup quarterfinals.
Tara, the middle child of three for Mr Ridgway and his wife Meredith, was only 17 when she met her beau a few weeks before Christmas in 2010.
SA MP David Ridgway in a much earlier family image, flanked by his son Louis, daughters Ashleigh, Tara, and wife Meredith.
Source: News Limited
A recent graduate from Scotch, one of South Australia’s most expensive fee-charging schools, where she was a house captain and cox of a rowing four, the Tanya Powell model was out on the town with several girlfriends celebrating the end of school and an exciting future of leaving the family home in Mitcham and heading to Queensland to study at university.
Morgan, 24 at the time, was in Adelaide for the second Ashes test of the 2010/11 series.
Tara Ridgway modelling for Paradise Fashion Trends at the Glades Golf course at Robina on the Gold Coast.
Source: News Limited
The Catholic-educated Dubliner, who played international cricket for Ireland before committing to England, was still to establish himself in the Test side and wasn’t playing against Australia at the Adelaide Oval.
Who made the first move or what kickstarted the conversation — probably not cricket given Tara’s initial indifference to the sport — is not known, but over a few hours at a lively city bar, a strong connection was forged.
Few of Eoin and Tara’s family and friends believed that casual meeting would become more than a summertime fling and endure so long against such difficult circumstances.
While Tara headed to Bond University on the Gold Coast to study a double degree in law and international and public relations, her new boyfriend continued to tour Australia with England, playing in the one-day series that saw him travel coast to coast.
As love blossomed, Tara caught up with him when she could as she has done for the four years since.
Just this year, she holidayed on the Caribbean island of Barbados in March when her Twitter feed told about her growing excitement at seeing Eoin again.
Soaking up the sun on a sneaky day off with @eoin16 in Barbados! #vacay pic.twitter.com/bleYOHN8vb
— Tara Ridgway (@TaraRidgway) March 10, 2014
“@TaraRidgway. March 3 — 2014 — The clock never ticks slower than when you’re waiting to see that someone. @eoin16 hurry up and get in my arms! #countdown”
A four-month internship in London this year with international shoe company Rupert Sanderson, in a PR and marketing role, allowed the couple to live together as Morgan spent the English summer playing domestic cricket for Middlesex in the English capital.
They attended the biggest dress-up day in the UK at the Epsom Derby horse race in June, were courtside at the Wimbledon championships and visited the West End theatres.
Wimbledon with @Eoin16 !
HOWZAT! England cricket captain Eoin Morgan’s love affair with SA MP’s daughter Tara Ridgway
No comments:
Post a Comment