AFTER watching consecutive deliveries disappear for four and six while making his Bathurst District Cricket Association debut for Rugby Union last Saturday, it would have been understandable if Jaidyn Hutchings dropped his head.
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But the 17-year-old didn’t. He wanted a chance to redeem himself.
Two balls later he claimed his first wicket in the top grade, bowling ORC’s Clint Bryant for 10. He then put his hand up for another over and conceded just one run.
Hutchings’ wicket was one of three Rugby claimed before stumps in the two-day contest to have ORC at 3-73 in pursuit of 185 for victory.
It added to the 12 scalps he has claimed in five second grade games so far this season, but it was the one he most cherished.
“I was nervous and had a million things running through my head. I was like ‘Alright, I know I’ve got to bowl well, I don’t want to bowl it down leg,’ because the batsmen they had were pretty good.
“When I saw him [Dave Sellers] at the crease when I was running in I just told myself to bowl good line and length, but my first one was a bit short and he got hold of it nicely. I thought ‘Oh well, I can’t do much about that but I’ve got to execute this next ball really well.’
“But I was a bit short again and he hit me for six.
“[Next] I was bowling to Clint. I knew where I had to bowl so I just tried to execute it and I did – I got the wicket, I bowled him.
“My confidence really went through the roof then, the atmosphere was great, the boys were really good.
“That was towards the end of the over and Sam asked me if I wanted another over and I said ‘Yeah I want another over, I want to get back at them’.”
This Saturday when play resumes at Brooke Moore Oval, Hutchings will be a spectator as James Tristrum replaces him in the line up.
He will be offering encouragement as Rugby looks to strengthen its hold on a top four spot and deny an ORC side desperate for a win to keep its finals hopes alive.
But at the same time, Hutchings will no doubt be thinking about getting another chance in first grade and once again seeing one of his deliveries crash into the stumps.
“To come into that team and know all those big names are there, I told myself that I really wanted to impress those fellas and get a good name,” he said.
“I know where to bowl and where not to bowl now, so I just have to work on that a bit more at training.
“Hopefully next game I get another go up there and hopefully I can do a bit of damage.
“I’ve had that taste now and I know what I have to do to get up there. I just really need to work on those few little things.”
Play will resume at 1.30pm on Saturday.
