Old Boys captain Ben Middlebrook rates Zac Craig one of the most exciting leg-spinning prospects he's seen for a while and believes the teenager has "got it all ahead of himself if he keeps his head on his shoulders".
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After impressing with four wickets on debut last season, Craig has been "excellent" for the premiers this season and is their leading wicket-taker with nine.
Eight of those have come in the last two games with the 15-year old picking up another four-wicket haul on Saturday as they beat North Tamworth in a thriller.
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"He seems to be bowling really well at the moment. He's taking wickets and he's just got good control which is great," Middlebrook said.
He compared him to probably Mitch Power, the now-West Tamworth Tennis Club coach who represented NSW Country back in 2007, and Ash Turner for promise at a similar age.
"Zac turns it like Ash," he noted.
As for Craig, who backed up on Sunday with four wickets in Tamworth's Connolly Cup win, he is just taking it all in his stride.
The youngster is relishing the opportunity to play first grade and with each game growing in confidence.
"The more games I play the more confident I feel," he said.
The wickets help too.
Following on from his 4-31 the previous week, he finished with 4-20 on Saturday; the ball coming out "pretty well".
"The first spell wasn't that good but then the second spell was pretty good," he said.
Among his wickets were the prized scalps of Rixon brothers Brendan and Michael. The competition's leading runscorers he said to pick up them was pretty satisfying. Even more so with their importance in the context of the game.
His dismissal of Brendan (for 37) was a game-changer as Old Boys defended 135. Not only did it crucially break the brothers partnership as they looked set for a repeat of their heroics the previous week, but sparked a mini collapse with the Redbacks losing [including his wicket] 5-17.
The wickets and wins topped off a big week for Craig after being named in the Central North side to play in the Bradman Cup early in Tamworth early in the new year.
"I've had a pretty good week," he commented.
Saturday went down to the wire with Old Boys bowling the Redbacks out for 132 with three balls to spare after a 29-run stand between Sam Levick (15) and Sam Holt (12) had got them back into the game.
Adam McGuirk was earlier the saviour with the bat for Old Boys with a top-scoring 52, Mitch Swain's unbeaten 23 down the order getting them close to the around 150 Middlebrook thought would be a score they could "make a game of it".
South Tamworth also won a thriller.
Chasing Bective-Easts' 9-158, the needed 10 with one wicket in hand, but BJ Cameron (27no) steered them to victory. Skipper Mitch Smith had earlier set the chase up with 57 at the top of the order.
Jye Paterson had done likewise for the Bulls, hitting 45 opening the innings, Aaron King also chipping in with 35.
In the other game Brad Smith belted nine fours en route to 62 off 58 and Tom Fitzgerald 47 off 30 (including 10 fours) as City United chased down West Tamworth's 125 in just 19 overs.
Jack McVey and Scott Brennan led the charge with the ball for City with four wickets apiece, Harrison Kelly the shining light with the bat for Wests with 43.
