Sid Harvey's focus turning from the cricket pitch to the footy field this weekend

The multi-talented Narrabri teen will suit up for the Central North under-17s at the state 7s championships in Forster-Tuncurry.

It will be his third time away with the Kookaburras this year after playing with the under-16s at the country and state [15s] championships.

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He was from the country champs selected in the country side but unfortunately never got to pull on the jersey with the program a COVID-casualty.

Harvey has been playing rugby pretty much since he was old enough to, starting in the Blue Boars' under-8s.

Cricket has equally been a mainstay in the 16-year old's sporting life with rugby occupying his focus through the winter and cricket over the summer.

One of the region's best young talents, Harvey has had a good start to 2021-22, scoring back-to-back centuries for his Narrabri 17s side on the opening weekend of the Central North junior season and following up the next Sunday with 63 against Tamworth.

While disappointed not to be able to convert any of them to triple figures, he said it's good to see the work he's been doing "paying off a little bit".

As well as the training he has been doing with the Central North academy, he's also been hitting the nets a lot, and getting a bit of help from Central North coach Tom O'Neill.

"He's kind of told me what he looks for as a bowler. I've used that," he said.

He has also benefitted from hitting "the grow button", as he put it.

"I've grown maybe six or seven inches (in the last year-and-a-half)," he said.

"That has helped with my cricket."

"Last year playing in the seniors I was tentative to play harder shots.

"I was a bit more defensive. I didn't feel strong enough to work it through the field."

"Already this year I've noticed the difference."

The junior competition has been a bit of a salvation with the first three rounds of the Narrabri competition washed out.

Harvey plays with Tatts.

Last season he stepped up to first grade, and after starting as a second change bowler and batting down at seven or eight, he soon found himself up at five and went on to be their top-scorer.

Also a handy left-arm medium bowler, he probably leans more towards batting.

"I love batting. I love to be able to bat and bat and bat," he said.

He will hopefully get plenty of opportunity to do that over what is a busy month or so.

As well as Tatts and Narrabri, Harvey will also pad up for the Central North under-16s in their Bradman Cup campaign.

They have a carnival in Sawtell on December coming up on December 4 an 5, followed by the main carnival in Lake Macquarie in the first week of January.

It will be his second year in the side after playing in the northern carnival in Tamworth earlier in the year.

Central North is sending both boys and girls under-15s and under-17s sides to the champs this weekend.