FOUR days, 246 runs, 31 boundaries, eight shots which cleared the rope, 130.8 strike rate, one Western NSW Junior Cricket Carnival crown - those numbers make it abundantly clear the sort of start Blake Kreuzberger has made to 2020.
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The 14-year-old Bathurst talent is no stranger to playing a starring role with the bat, but his efforts at the under 15s Western carnival then against open-age company in the Royal Hotel Cup rank amongst his finest.
Kreuzberger is humble about his efforts, pointing to wickets which played true, short boundaries and quick outfields as playing a role in run-scoring feats, but there is no doubt he enjoyed his time at the crease. Just as there is no doubting his talent.
While Kreuzberger only made four in the opening match of the Orange-based Western carnival, he then led the under 15s Mitchell side he skippered by example. He blasted 126 off 122 on Tuesday against South Eastern.
"The ball was coming onto the bat, the first game wasn't that good, but after that it was probably more of the mental side, just trying to play my shots and get out of my comfort zone," Kreuzberger said.
"The pitches over there were pretty flat, in the past they haven't been too good, but last week they were good, a lot of even bounce.
"It was only my second ton, so to do it at over a run a ball was pretty cool. No chances in that too ... it was a pretty fast outfield which helps."
The shot which saw the talented teenager crack 100 was played through cover off his back foot, the ball reaching the boundary.
It was one of 21 boundaries Kreuzberger hit during the remarkable knock.
The following day he hit 42 off 37 to help Mitchell qualify for the decider and in that finale against Dubbo, Kreuzberger once again shone.
He belted 53 off just 18 deliveries to help Mitchell to its first win in the under 15s tournament since 2012. That innings, which included six sixes, was one he enjoyed just as much as the century.
"In the final we were under a bit of pressure with it being a 15-over match. I decided to play my shots I guess and just happened to hit them well," he said.
"The boundaries were quite small and that helped a lot, but yeah, we've played against Dubbo a few times now and to get over them this time was really good."
That title-winning performance came on Thursday and on Friday evening he returned to Orange to play for the Centennials Bulls in the Royal Hotel Cup - an open-age Twenty20 competition - against Centrals.
"I've never done that before," he said.
"I really took it on, I thought it was great. Yeah they are a lot older than me, but it's great to play against those kind of guys, they are a lot harder opponent and you have to challenge yourself.
"We needed a few quick runs at the end there. I just came in and I saw the ball well again. I like to play my shots, so in the shorter format you sort of get a licence to do that after a few overs, so I do enjoy it."
Coming in at number seven, he crashed 25 off 11 balls. It was an effort which proved critical as the Bulls went on to win by 25 runs.
