Cricket: Preston Boyd's performs well amid rapid rise through Tamworth cricket

At this point last year, the Walcha resident was just another high school student in Uralla who represented Tamworth in junior cricket and was on the verge of making his first grade debut in the Tamworth senior competition.

Fast forward 12 months, and Boyd has secured a building apprenticeship which he will begin next year, been a regular contributor for Bective East in first grade, and made his Connolly Cup debut on Sunday.

It has all happened quickly for the youngster, who said he was "pretty surprised" by his Connolly Cup call-up against Gunnedah.

"I didn't think I'd be in there," he said.

But that didn't stop Boyd from making a solid contribution to Tamworth's 90-run win when he opened the bowling in the second innings and took 2-13.

His strong performance on debut was made easier, the teenager said, by the presence of a few familiar faces in the side.

"It was good, there was a bit of swing around. I was getting a bit of movement," Boyd said.

"I'd played with most of the young fellas in the team through Tamworth rep cricket in the under 16s."

Tamworth battled its way to a total of 9-171, in which Jordan Lewington top-scored with 39 not out and to which Coby Single (29), Mathew Beattie (22), Conrad George (22), and Kilian Apen (20) all contributed starts.

On a Chaffey Park wicket that Boyd said had "a couple of balls staying low and other ones popping", Tamworth was happy with its score.

"We didn't start the batting real well, but then we got a couple of good partnerships in and batted out the overs," he said.

"It was good."

In response, Gunnedah were restricted to 3-81 from 21 overs by the time rain struck the ground and washed out the rest of the game.

Tamworth claimed a narrow win on Duckworth Lewis, and Boyd's two wickets took his season tally to 11 from four matches at the stunning average of 5.6 apiece.

Of those, five came in the first round of the year, for Bective's second grade side.

It earned him a place in first grade, where has has gone on to take four more wickets in two games.

Not a bad return for a young man who didn't expect to play first grade consistently this year, according to his father, Mick.

"If he kept performing, he'd have to get up there sooner or later," Mick said.

"I thought he might have been a little too young yet, but he seems to be able to handle it."

The young man's early performances were made even more impressive considering that the Boyds live too far away from Tamworth for Preston to train consistently.

So, he has found a more homespun approach to his cricketing preparation.

"I just muck around with my brother at home sometimes, after work or school," Preston said.

"I bowl to him, we have a couple of mini games out the back at home."

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