While Ollie Brincat's rich vein of recent form has lifted his Orange side, unbeaten on top of the standings through three rounds, into the Mitchell Cricket Council Under-12 box seat, it's also catapulted the 11-year-old into rarefied air.
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With his inspirational knock of 100 in Orange's breakthrough win over Bathurst last weekend, their first in years, Brincat became just the second bat to score a ton in the competition's eight-season, MyCricket era.
Brincat finessed 13 boundaries after coming to the Brooke Moore Oval crease in the second over at 1-4, facing 119 balls before eventually being the eighth wicket to fall in the final set of Orange's innings, with the score at 150.
I started counting (after drinks) but when I got into the 90s I stopped because I was getting nervous.
- Orange's Ollie Brincat
"I was a little bit worried I might not have enough time to get there, going into the last couple of overs," Brincat said, he brought his ton up with a three in the penultimate over.
"We had drinks and the guys told me I was on 80, I didn't know what I was on before that, so I started counting the rest but when I got into the 90s I stopped because I was getting nervous."
It was his maiden ton and came just a fortnight after he scored his first half-century, he finished unbeaten on 55 in Orange's win over the Blue Mountains.
"I was batting well that day, I was a bit annoyed we were only chasing [98 to win] because there wasn't more time to bat," Brincat said.
With the amount of work Brincat's putting in off the field a run of form seemed inevitable, although even he admitted he'd had a lean start to the season in Orange City's Orange District Junior Cricket Association Under-13 campaign.
"My highest score this summer for Orange City is only 12," Brincat said with a laugh.
"I've been doing a lot of training and going to (Orange City's) senior training sometimes too. Blake and Frank Weymouth have helped me out a lot and then I do a lot at home as well."
Naturally, Brincat's hoping the runs keep coming in a bid to, in his second second in a black and gold cap, help his Orange side stay in the winners' circle.
Their victory over Bathurst last week was the first time they'd knocked off their traditional rivals since the 2015-16 grand final, and the two sides once again face off this weekend, this time at Orange's Jack Brabham Park.
"I think the biggest difference between us and Bathurst last weekend was that we took a few chances (in the field) that they didn't, that was all really," Brincat said, his side rolled Bathurst for 55 in reply.
"Both us and Bathurst are pretty good at limiting extras when we're bowling, and we've got better every game. Hopefully we can beat them again, I think we've got the team that can win [the title]."
The first ball of Sunday's top-of-the-table clash, Bathurst are seven points adrift of Orange, will be bowled at 10am. Orange also host Bathurst in the Under-14 competition, from the same time at Country Club Oval.
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