Following the first Twenty20 ton scored at Wade Park, evergreen Cavs gun Stu Middleton is easily the best all-rounder in Western Zone cricket; 

And CYMS bat Dave Neil is the region’s version of Inzamam ul-Haq.

That’s probably a little harsh ... Inzi is slightly quicker.

Neil has turned throwing his batting partner under the run-out bus into an art form: just ask fellow opener in last Friday night’s semi-final, Matt Baker.

Bakes has had yes-no-maybe nightmares all week after a vintage Neil quick single left the damaging left-hander high and dry with CYMS still needing a further 216 runs for victory and a place in the Royal Hotel Cup final.

Our spies at the ground say they’ve heard clearer calls from a New Delhi call centre.

A quick glance at MyCricket stats shows Neil has been run out just the once in 47 recorded innings at the crease, however what that statistical analysis dismisses is the abnormally large number of green and gold batters left well short at the other end.

Cricki Leaks sources believe that number is close to 30, with 25 of those batsmen forced to rely on eye contact alone from Neil to determine whether he’s coming or going.

Baker should count himself lucky he received three calls, let alone any, last Friday.

There are few, if any, more patriotic members of the cricketing world than David Redden.

Any followers of the larger-than-life character’s Facebook Page ‘Dave Redden Cricket’ would know this already.

Here’s an excerpt from one of his latest posts.

It was made while following the Western side at the NSW Combined High Schools championship.

Western had just beaten Hunter by 30 runs.

“There is a joy when Western teams win that is hard to encapsulate properly in words,” he said.

Cricki Leaks, too, is at a loss for words.