Brendan Rixon has started the cricket season like a man unburdened of responsibility and better for it.
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In actuality, that is exactly what's happened.
After both North Tamworth and Rixon struggled last season, veteran paceman Adam Greentree was named Redbacks captain. It has proved to be a judicious move.
Undefeated Norths powered into the one-day final against Old Boys at No 1 Oval on Friday night, winning five one-dayers, while Rixon sits atop the batting standings: his 250 runs coming at an average of 83.33 and with a best of 114 not out.
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Last season the No 3 sat 20th on the standings, with 238 runs at 19.83 (the previous season he was No 2, scoring 603 runs at 60.30).
It's the first time in a number of years that Rixon has not entered a cricket season with his body battered by rugby (he retired from rugby at the end of the 2018 season after helping Pirates win a third-straight premiership). Consequently, he started 2019-20 "injury free for the first time in a little while".
Physically sound and mental rejuvenated, and he only has to "turn up and play".
"It's been a bit of ... it's probably been refreshing, just to turn up and play - rather than having to worry about being captain; not worry about it: you know, go through the selections and all the stuff that happens ... that people don't see.
"So it's just been a good change. And it's probably freshened up the [playing] group, which is good - and we've got some good results off the back of it.
"Adam's doing a good job and the players are behind him, which is great. So, yeah, it's been definitely a success to do that [step down as captain], which is really good."
Rixon said there were a "number of discussions" regarding him relinquishing he captaincy. "That was my initial intention ... to go back and enjoy the cricket, basically, and just turn up and play and not have to worry about that other stuff. [My] life's pretty busy outside of cricket, as well."
(Rixon, 35, manages of a Tamworth transport company, and is a married father of two.)
The competition switches to the two-day format on Saturday, with first-placed Norths and third-placed City United meeting at Riverside 2. Rixon said a positive vibe rippled throughout the side and the club.
He said the "whole club is really getting on and really getting behind each other and enjoying each others' company off the field, which translates to the success on the field".
He added: "I think at the moment we've only dropped two games in the first five rounds as a club. So, that's a fantastic start to the season. You can't really ask for anything better than that." (Norths' first-, second- and fourth-grades sides are undefeated.)
In other matches on Saturday, sixth-placed South Tamworth and fifth-placed Bective East meet at No 1 Oval, while four-placed West Tamworth and second-placed Old Boys clash at Riverside 1.