Zac Craig is preparing for the biggest examination of his evolution as a top order batsmen.
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The Old Boys allrounder will pad up for Central North at the Country Colts carnival in Bathurst this week.
It will be the teenager's first carnival with the colts after stepping up from the Bradman Cup side last season, and is promising to be a learning experience on a few fronts.
More noted as a bowler when he first came on the scene and batting in the middle-lower order, the legspinner has this season been opening for Central North, Old Boys and Namoi in the Central North under-17s competition.
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Something he's slowly been working towards, he got an opportunity to open at the trials for the Central North side.
He made the most of it, scoring 30/35 and has "just kind of kept on doing it."
It has meant a bit of an adjustment in terms of how he approaches his batting, and he admittedly probably hasn't quite got it right at times.
After that trial knock and a 66 off 74 in Namoi's first game, the runs have dried up with Craig, by his own admission, guilty of some "silly decisions" and playing some "silly shots".
"Just not really watching the ball, not concentrating," he continued.
He has been working on that and is hoping to be able to spend some good time in the middle this week.
Bowling wise he's pretty happy with how things have been going.
Craig is set to play a big role for Central North with the ball as one of the frontline spinning options, and is looking forward to the week.
"It should be good, hopefully we can perform well and have some fun," he said.
They go in pretty well-prepared, playing in the Connolly Cup this season.
Despite picking up only the one win, Craig believes it has helped them.
"It's let us all get to know each other, know what we do in a game and become better friends," he said.
The carnival gets underway on Monday and for Central North starts with a 50-over clash against Central Coast. It then shifts gears on Tuesday with two Twenty20s before two days of 50-over games to finish.
CENTRAL NORTH COLTS: Kilian Apen, Baylee Borrow, Jed Collins, Zac Craig, Max Farmer, Joe Hancock, Callum Henry, Matt Holmes, Jett Lee, Tom Noble, Lachlan Page, Sam Peacock, Landan Price, Alex Staffa. Coach - Tom O'Neill.
