The worst part of this is not being able to run one of the hundred pictures we have of Joey’s stumps being rattled. Well batted, Joey.

RUNS: 116; CATCHES: 1 

Arguably the form batsman in Orange this summer. Hannelly’s ton takes him to the top of the ODCA’s run scorers list this summer.

RUNS: 107

The Domaine Loubejac Pinot Noir of the Dubbo cricket community – Green’s a fine red wine in a seemingly bottomless bottle.

Another ton, probably his 78th career century. Probably not his last, either.

RUNS: 107

Larance blazed another century on Saturday to reaffirm his status as the zone’s most exciting prospect.

The next challenge for the young Cougars star? Scoring runs in clutch situations. 

RUNS: 113

Jason Roy, Jos Buttler and now Greg Buckley – Poms scoring tons in Australia, stop it.

RUNS: 93

Didn’t Matt Stephen get picked for Western Zone … as a bowler? Clearly the City Colts spearhead is more than handy with the stick too. 

RUNS 29 not out; WICKETS: 5-19

Fills the all-rounder spot vacated by big Ben Strachan. Handy five-for and a match winning, unbeaten knock for the Bowlers’ star.

WICKETS: 6-5

Off 10 overs, with seven maidens. Ridiculous. The best figures of the weekend.

WICKETS: 5-17

Tore through the opposition on Saturday. 

WICKETS: 4-38

Took four wickets in seven balls – including a hat-trick – to help guide his Dubbo club to victory. Another Englishman doing will in Australia. This is absurd.

WICKETS: 4-14

Two Orange players in this week’s team … what world is this? The green and golds skipper was deadly and economical in his 10 overs.

It’s been really hot.

So playing any form of sport, especially outdoors, seems crazy, right?

But it happens. This is Australia, after all. And the slip-slop-slap message should be second nature by now.

That’s for anyone participating, out in the middle of, say a cricket field, where there’s no respite from the sun.

Cricket fields often look a lonely place, don’t they? 

Eleven fielders, two batters, two umpires – which is sometimes one official and a reluctant square-leg volunteer who’s probably listed to bat at nine and didn’t get a bowl.

But if you look a little closer, under the trees scattered around the field, you’ll find a squadron of people that travel far and wide to watch their respective little Johnnys in the junior ranks.

These people are often parents. And they’re truly special.

They’ll be there for the Twenty20s. They’ll settle in for the one-day games, too.

And, as was the case last week in Bathurst and in Orange, and again this week in Dubbo, they’ll be there every day of the week during a carnival.

Every day, 40-plus degree heat. Someone find me a tree.

They’ve traveled from all parts of the state, too.

Last week in Bathurst, Western’s Bradman Cup team had players from Orange, Dubbo and Mudgee representing the zone.

All of their parents were there to cheer them on.

It was the same deal for Western’s team in Armidale at the Kookaburra Cup. Where there was a kid, there was a parent, or two, with plenty of miles and cricket watching hours under their belts.

In Orange, for the Western NSW Junior Cricket Carnivals, an annual event, parents from as far as Brisbane and New Zealand littered themselves across the grounds of the colour city to support their kids.

Expect the same thing at the State Challenge at Dubbo this week, too – where there’s a tree, there will be a parent, or 10.

It’s a common theme: Parent travels 1000s of kilometres to help their child pursue their dream.

A dream, which invariably this time of year, revolves around a baggy green cap.

As a parent of a three-year-old who’s only interest in the Australia-England series to date has been how that many people could possibly find their way into the SCG all at once – apparently ‘the gates’ isn’t a legitimate answer –  my time finding solace at a cricket field seems a fair way off.

But, next time I see a group of mums and dads huddled together under a tree – probably sitting through the junior side they’re watching complete wide number 43 – I’ll tip my hat to them.

There’s no parent quite like a junior cricket parent. They’re truly special.