Callum Henry can see the future.
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And in the future he is living in Sydney playing cricket - a sport he has clung to like a great love, as a number of his mates lost their passion for the game: one by one.
In the future he is playing cricket in England, as he wrings every ounce of ability out of his body. Cricket, he hopes, will open up the world for him.
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"That's the plan: go and see something different and experience life outside Tamworth," said the 16-year-old year 11 student at Carinya Christian School.
In Sydney, Henry plans to play for Campbelltown-Camden District Cricket Club.
"I played Green Shield for them last year - and loved it. I don't think I'd go anywhere else."
Henry is at the start of what is a big year in his development as a cricketer and as a person. And it got off to a great start when City United, whom he keeps for, beat Old Boys in an opening round one-dayer last Saturday.
The following day he scored a 144-ball 102 in Tamworth's defeat of Coalfields in an under-17 clash.
That's the plan: go and see something different and experience life outside Tamworth.
- Callum Henry
At No 1 on Saturday, City United meet Bective East.
In an announcement that shocked Henry, he was named in the under-19 NSW/ACT Country squad for the upcoming nationals (the squad will be culled).
"When I got a phone call saying I was picked, I was pretty surprised, because I thought I'd be in the 17s squad - maybe.
"But they cancelled that because of COVID - there was no 17s. So they just put us straight into the 19s squad."
City United captain Pete Mead said Henry was "an exceptional cricketer for his age" - an "outstanding wicketkeeper that supports the bowlers and fielders at all times".
The teen, he continued, is also a "capable top-order batsman that is developing his craft in all forms of the game" and "developing in maturity game by game".
"[He's] another sensational junior that is pivotal to the success of City - not just in first grade, but as a club as a whole," he said.
In other matches on Saturday, North Tamworth and South Tamworth meet at Riverside 1 while West Tamworth and Old Boys clash at Riverside 2.
