Being a counter and knowing he was one run away from his first career ton was slightly nervy for Orange City gloveman Lachie Coyte on Saturday but after taking off for a single, just for a split second, those nerves were seriously exacerbated.
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"All the boys on the sideline laughed at me and I thought 'shit, you've miscounted and gone off early here', but they were just having a laugh at how loud I'd call yes in the end, they know I count the whole way," Coyte laughed.
"I went from 91 to 99 in a two shots so I didn't have time to get too nervous before that, but fortunately for me there was a miss-field so I made sure I came back for the second just in case I was only on 98, just to make sure."
It was a massive relief to finally convert one ... but it's a great feeling to finally reach triple figures
- Orange City gloveman Lachie Coyte
The 17-year-old wicketkeeper-bat finished with 109 as his Warrriors piled on 8-299 in Saturday's opening day of the Bathurst-Orange Inter-District Cricket (BOIDC) competition's second round against St Pat's Old Boys, a battle of the two associations reigning champions.
On a fast Riawena Oval outfield he belted 21 boundaries on his way past triple figures, his knock also resurrecting the Warriors' innings after they lost a handful of quick wickets to sit precariously at 4-62.
"We lost a few early and when Ed (Morrish) came out at six I sort of just said 'right, we have to put a partnership together here', he and a few more of the middle order guys did a great job and I just tried to stay focused, concentrate and make sure I was playing the ball as late as I could on that deck," Coyte said.
He added 107 with Morrish (40), his skipper, and another 72 with Shaun Churchill (38) after that, before being trapped in front by Saints tweaker Connor Slattery. Andrew Gordon carried on to finish the day 42 not out and just about lift Orange City past 300.
While 'absolutely stoked' with notching his first ton - not just in the BOIDC, his first ton full stop - Coyte also admitted it was somewhat of a relief to finally get somewhat of a monkey off his back.
In Coyte's words he's always been 'the guy that gets to 60 or 70 and doesn't go on with it' and that rings true of his time in the Warriors' top grade, he's often chipped in with handy middle order runs but never converted.
Granted, it's tough for most gloveman to really cash in when they're batting at six or seven, but a shift up to first drop this summer is paying dividends for both him and the side.
"It was a massive relief to finally convert one, if I could go back I'd play a different shot to the one I got out on and try and go even bigger, but it's a great feeling to finally reach triple figures," Coyte said.
"I seem to be getting a bit more luck this season, but I guess you make your own luck anyway as they say, and it probably does come down to concentration and knowing my game a bit better as well, but hopefully I can ride that as long as possible.
"It helps having a lot of faith from Ed. He came to me before the season and said 'you're going to my number three this year' and knowing he's backing me to do the job there gives you a lot of confidence, especially in a club that has a heap of great top-order bats."
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As he said, Coyte's ton continues his strong start to the summer. He belted 67 against Centrals in the opening round and also knocked up 58 against Centennials in the Warriors' first Royal Hotel Cup game of the summer.
He's not the only in-form Orange stick who marked another milestone on Saturday afternoon, Kinross' James Larkin built on an already-impressive start to his maiden summer here with a ton against City Colts.
Larkin, who came with massive raps after skippering Sydney University to a NSW Premier Cricket Second Grade title last summer, hammered 120 from just 115 balls at Bathurst's Loco Oval on Saturday to incredibly, lead the students to first innings points on day one against City Colts.
His side rolled City Colts for just 182 and Larkin entered the chase at 1-2, holding his side's innings together with a classy ton that backed up his round one half century against CYMS and his half-ton in Central West's opening round win over Orana in the Cricket NSW Plan B Regional Bash.
Larkin was the last wicket to fall on day one but he'd already led the students to a six-wicket, first-innings win, one they can build on after finishing 5-202 at stumps, Mac Webster is unbeaten on 33 and has the chance to go big too.
Cavaliers skipper Matt Corben also finished the day unbeaten on 71 as his side just about reeled in Bathurst City's 182, Redbacks limping to that meagre total after inspired performances from maroons spinners Mitch Black and Gus Cumming.
Opening the bowling Black took 5-57 from 29 marathon overs at Wade Park, 12 of which were maidens, while Cumming (4-38) almost grabbed a second consecutive bagful from his 15 overs. Cavaliers finished 2-156 at stumps.
They've fast-become the most dangerous bowling partnership in the competition, with Cumming taking five wickets in round one and Black picking up three.
