Junior Cricket: NW boys improve out of sight at NSW PSSA Boys Cricket Championship

And by that metric, the North West team which participated in the NSW Primary School Sports Association Boys Cricket Championship excelled.

The side played three of four scheduled games in Dubbo before rain washed out the last fixture, and recorded two losses and a win.

But, team manager Peter Mead said, their results did not reflect the team's success.

"There were ample positives, without a doubt," Mead said.

"It's a hard competition for North West, historically. However, when you get there, the growth is high, it's exponential, always."

This year was the same again, despite a tough start to the competition against the Hunter side.

After losing the toss, North West bowled first and produced a couple of good hauls through Blake Swilks (1-9 from seven overs) and Daniel Williams (2-7 from seven overs).

But Hunter's eventual total of 7-160 proved too much as North West couldn't put together any meaningful partnerships. In spite of captain Rocco Eastwood's stoic 32, they were all out for 83.

The loss did not bother Mead as much as the three run-outs in their batting innings. But he did not have to wait long to see that error amended by the team.

The next day, they played Western and, again, bowled first after losing the toss.

More wickets from Swilks (1-21) and Williams (1-17) were complimented by Jaden Baker's haul (3-15 off seven overs) to restrict Western to 8-176.

In response, their running between the wickets improved massively as Eastwood (33), Cameron Moony (24), Lachlan Savage (23), and Williams (20) got them to within one run of the target.

Heartbreakingly, however, needing two to win off the last ball of the innings, the umpire called the batters' run short. It was a one-run loss on the scorecard, but not as far as Mead was concerned.

"We lost the game, but we are winners," he said.

"To play 100 overs and give ourselves a chance and keep focused, to get to that point, we were winners."

North West's third and final match, against Mackillop Invitational, was the most comprehensive of them them all.

Swilks starred again with ball in hand to snare 4-2 from six overs, while Williams was involved again with 1-3. Isaac Stubbs was also among the wickets with 1-2 from four.

Chasing 78, Eastwood set the tone once again with 22 not out, ably supported by Toby Rolf's 25. North West reached the target with four wickets and nearly 30 overs remaining.

"All in all, I couldn't ask for anything more," Mead said of North West's effort in the tournament.

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