For South Tamworth batsmen Luke Smith, life is pretty good at the moment on and off the pitch.
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He is enjoying his cricket as much as ever, and last month he and wife Ally welcomed a little "bundle of joy" - a daughter Evelyn Grace.
"That's changed our world," the proud new dad said, adding that it has certainly been "an experience".
But a wonderful one.
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The cricket gods were smiling somewhat on him with Evelyn born the Saturday before the first game.
He acknowledges he is fortunate for Ally's support to be able to play. Travelling over from Barraba, it means leaving her behind with Evelyn for a good five or six hours.
Down the track they will probably come over as well
"She (Ally) likes supporting the cricket," Smith said.
There's a few partners that go along to support, and he noted a "really good family vibe" at the club.
On Saturday he will be hoping to help them to their second win of the season when they take on City United at No.1 Oval.
After beating West Tamworth in the first round, they were thumped by Old Boys last weekend.
This season is Smith's second back with Souths (he first played with them in 2010) after being coaxed back by keeper and captain, and good mate Tom Groth.
"Grothy got me there originally, and last year he said to come for a game and I did that," he said.
"I went back there and have been really enjoying it."
Intending to play mostly second grade, at least until he found his feet again, he played his first couple of games in second grade but then went up first grade and pretty much stayed there.
Also having had a couple of stints with other clubs in Tamworth over the years, Smith was by his own admission a bit guilty of putting too much pressure on himself and being too focused on playing first grade. When he wasn't, he became frustrated, and started "chasing individual honours more than team honours".
It was a vicious cycle. His performances dropped off, and he lost some of his enjoyment of the game.
So he went back to Barraba and played in the local Bingara competition, and got the Gywdir district side up and running.
"I just had to come back and take the pressure off and realise that you get your performances when you play your cricket as a team player," Smith said, adding that he's "always been that sort of way with all my sports".
Now "in a better headspace" he said he "doesn't care" if he gets in a situation where he is back in second grade.
"I'd be happy now to do it for a club, whereas probably before I wouldn't if I didn't think I deserved it," he said.
He hasn't quite fired with the bat for Souths yet but did notch a half-century on the weekend, scoring 50 for Gwydir in their opening round Connolly Cup loss to Moree on Sunday.
Elsewhere on Saturday, West Tamworth and North Tamworth meet at Riverside 2 and Old Boys and Bective-East clash at Riverside 1.
