Zac Craig was a young man of few words.
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Luckily for Old Boys, the talented leg-spinner did his talking on the field.
"Just enjoying it and try and have fun with it," the 17-tear-old said of his cricket, after taking 4-17 off 17 overs in Old Boys' exciting five-run win over City United at Chaffey Oval on Saturday.
Two years after taking four wickets in a dream first-grade debut, Craig's cricketing education has continued in style as he embraces the challenge of year 12 at Farrer.
He doesn't know what the future holds for him career wise, but he plans to go to university.
"I'm focusing on my HSC," he said, adding: "I'm keen to get a good mark ... I enjoy school at the moment."
Craig is a member of the Central North Colts side, who are competing in the Connolly Cup and will contest the Country Colts Championships next month.
"I don't know," Craig said of his cricketing future. "I just like to play cricket and enjoy it, be good at it.
"But I don't really have any long-term goals."
In a tense battle at Chaffey Park, Old Boys skipper Ben Middlebrook entrusted Craig to get the job done as City United chased Old Boys' 232 first innings total.
But it was Middlebrook who claimed the last wicket, after Corey Sommers' slick stumping, as City were dismissed for 228.
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No 4 Tom Fitzgerald (44) and No 3 Patrick Dwyer (33) top-scored for City.
It was Old Boys' first win of the season, while City United suffered their first loss after two-straight victories.
City captain Tait Jordan said it was "a shame to get so close yet so far".
"But that's cricket, and we move on to next week," he said, adding: "Everyone made starts.
"But it just came down to, no one went on to get the big one."
He continued: "Plenty of strong partnerships ... but not one big one for the knockout blow."
At No 1 Oval on Saturday, North Tamworth resumed their first innings on 2-55 and then chased down Bective East's 137.
Norths were dismissed for 197, with Bective 0-44 in their second innings when the match was halted.
It was the undefeated Redbacks' second win of the season, while the Bulls suffered their second loss in three games.
No 4 Joe Holt (43) and No 3 Michael Rixon (35) top-scored for Norths, with Bectve quick Kurt Barton taking 5-62 off 14.4 overs.
Barton was on a hat-trick after removing Will Doyle and Brad Redshaw with successive balls.
City United lead the competition, followed by North Tamworth, Bective East, Old Boys and winless South Tamworth.
The competition will return to one-dayers next round, with Norths and City clashing at Riverside 3. Souths and Old Boys will meet at Riverside 2.
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