Armed with a new-found confidence Zac Clarke returned from last month’s Bradman Cup vowing to put into practice the lessons he had learnt in Albury.
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The teenager has, and is reaping the rewards.
Since returning from the under-16s country carnival, Clarke has registered two half-centuries and just missed out on a third.
His outstanding form was highlighted on the weekend when he scored an unbeaten 44 for his McDonald’s Chargers on Friday night and backed up on Saturday with 62 for Albion as they accounted for Mornington.
It was his highest score in senior cricket this season, and followed an unbeaten 59 for the Gunnedah Second XI against Tamworth last month.
“I came out of that carnival (Bradman Cup) and felt like I had a lot of confidence,” he said.
“Before I went I didn’t think I was capable of playing at that level.”
Coming in on Friday night with the Chargers in early trouble at 3-29 in their Gunnedah Automotive Gunnedah Premier League top of the table clash with the albeit undermanned Imperial Hotel Tigers, Clarke helped steer them to a competitive 5-122.
He finished unconquered on 44 alongside Farran Lamb (37no), the pair combining for an unbroken 58 run partnership.
He had to work his way into his innings with the ball nipping around a bit.
“The first ball I faced it jumped over my head nearly,” Clarke said.
“The second ball I got a boundary. It didn’t go where I wanted it to but it boosted my confidence.”
The Chargers were 5-64 when he and Lamb came together, and he said at one stage they were thinking that getting to 100 would be good enough.
“Getting to 122 we were really happy with that,” he said.
Troy Sands (24) and Mitch Swain (26) then got the Tigers off to a flyer putting on 49 for the first wicket.
The Chargers reeled them back in but a rearguard fightback from Hayden Baker (21), Gus Davidson (11no) and Russel Baker (17) saw the Tigers fall just two short in the end.
Their cause wasn’t helped by only having nine to bat.
Clarke backed up his efforts with the bat with 4-14 . Brought on at second charge he struck almost immediately getting Sands “off a full toss” in his first over.
Lamb also chimed in with 2-21.
Clarke then had to bide his time on Saturday as Albion’s top order laid a strong foundation
Brad Cady (31) and Zach Martin (31) set the tone with a 63 run opening stand.
They had a brief stumble with Martin’s dismissal but captain Brad Jenkinson and Andy Mack put on 49 in quick time to get things back on track.
Making a surprise return, Mack belted 40 of those, off just 18 balls.
Clarke then joined his skipper and together they took Albion beyond 250, Jenkinson showing his abilities as a batsmen with 74 off 70 including seven fours and two sixes.
Clarke faced 58 balls and struck six boundaries and a six in his stay and was the last wicket to fall.
“I thought there was plenty of time to bat if I could knuckle down,” Clarke said.
Stan Gaynor then kept Mornington in the run chase with a brilliant 80 at the top of the order, Albion eventually dismissing them for 201.
“He really started to take the game away from us but they kept losing wickets at the other end,” Clarke said.
Albion didn’t help their cause in the field.
“We fielded terribly so I’m glad we made nearly 300,” Jenkinson said.
“I think we dropped something like 12 catches.”
He said Clarke batted well.
“He’s another of the younger players I wanted to give a bit more opportunity to,” he said.
“He was a little bit more aggressive on the weekend than he has shown in previous innings.”
Cady has proved a handy acquisition joining the club this season.
“That’s only his second game for us. He scored 40 the first game he played for us,” Jenkinson said.