Being a fast bowler isn’t an easy feat under the best of circumstances, but in the lead-up to next week’s Bradman Cup, McGregor and his Western teammates expected to bake in the southern sun. 

However, instead of sweltering through Friday’s 44 degrees while playing four days of cricket next week, Western will travel to Albury for the cup facing temperatures in the mid-thirties. 

McGregor will still be treated to his first-ever ice baths alongside fellow Orange teammates Blake Weymouth, George Cumming and Hugh Middleton as the speedster makes his debut in the representative side. 

It’s reward for a stellar opening half of the season for McGregor, with the 15-year-old snaring seven wickets in four first-grade games in the Orange District Cricket Association so far this season, and five wickets for Orange in the Mitchell Cricket Council’s President’s Cup.

“I’ve been getting wickets in first grade for Orange City pretty frequently and been playing lots of rep and Mitchell cricket and keep getting wickets frequently,” McGregor said. 

“I’ve gotten faster and gotten taller and stuff so I’ve had some more spring in my step.”

The speedster has added two inches of height – and a few more of hair – over winter, and has also been working with some of the old heads at Orange City such as Frank Weymouth who have given him pointers.

However, he said Jackson Coote had been one of the biggest helps. 

“He’s shown me different balls and varieties and stuff like that, how to get a bit more pace on the ball,” he said. 

It’s McGregor’s debut in a tournament such as this, and he said he was looking forward to the chance to try himself at the next level. 

The ice baths are part of stepping up into that professionalism, and while he might not normally be a fan of the concept he’s open to giving it a go after bowling 10 overs in the heat.

McGregor is slated to play three days of cricket over the four-day carnival, with a rest day scheduled on Tuesday.

All pace bowlers in the Western squad will be rested at some stage during the tournament to help manage their workloads.

McGregor would rather be on the field, but he accepts the need to give his body a break, especially ahead of Wednesday’s Twenty20 double-header against Central Coast and Central Northern. 

Western play their first game on Monday against Riverina, and play three 50-over games and two Twenty20 matches across the week.