FOUR games, 401 runs, yet to be dismissed – in the 20 years Paul Abbott has been coaching cricket at Bathurst High School he has never seen the sort of run with the bat Nic Broes is currently enjoying.
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It is a run which has helped carry Bathurst High into the final eight of the prestigious Alan Davidson Shield competition and one Abbott hopes will take them even further still.
The last Central West side to claim the coveted title was Parkes in 1982, while Forbes (1976) also has its name on the honour roll.
Bathurst High has never hoisted the shield, its best effort in recent years coming in 2016 when falling at the semi-final stage to Kirrawee.
“It’s been a honour to coach a player like Nic, in my 20 years I’ve not seen anyone do what he has,” Abbott said.
“He’s made a lot of his runs when we were under pressure … and to be undefeated like he has been, it’s something special. I think we’ve got a good chance this year.”
Broes’ stellar run with the bat as Bathurst High captain began as he hit an unbeaten 113 against Orange High after coming in at number four.
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He backed that up with 84 not out against Kelso and an unbeaten 114 to help Bathurst High to victory over Cowra.
Last Thursday in the Western final against Dubbo, Broes carried his bat once more as his 90 runs helped Bathurst High to a four-wicket victory.
While he doesn’t have an average given he’s yet to be dismissed, his statistics do include 45 fours and 15 sixes.
“It helps playing on syntho wickets,” Broes, who is also a Bathurst District Cricket Association and Western Zone representative, said.
“It’s funny because when I play school cricket it seems a lot different. Before Christmas I’d scored 1,000 runs and since that, this month, I’ve had 12 scores below 20.
“So I was in a little bit of a rough patch, but school cricket, the bowling is a little bit weaker but things just click and it just happens.
“There have been a few games when we’ve been four for not many or three for not many, so I’ve had to try and carry my bat or else we’d be in a bit of trouble.
“I’ve probably give one or two chances – there was a half chance against Cowra.”
Though Broes plays down his batting, he was happy to talk about the efforts of his team-mates in beating Dubbo in the Western final.
Mitch Taylor, Brad Fearnley, Charlie Hutchings and Nathan Ward each took two wickets in holding Dubbo to a total of 230.
In the chase Ward (26), Corey Mark (26 not out) and Nash Hutchings (46) all made handy contributions.
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“It was probably our first complete team performance, we bowled really well. To restrict them to 230 at Police Paddock I thought was pretty good because their batting line up is pretty good,” Broes said.
“We bowled consistent, I think anything around 300 would have been par on that wicket.”
Bathurst’s next assignment is against Riverina champions Wagga Wagga High School on February 20.
“I think it’s good experience for the blokes, especially some of the young fellas in the side, it’s good to get a taste of playing different regions too,” Broes said.
“Most of my junior cricket I’ve played up a couple of years, so it’s nice to be able to play with my mates again.”