DANIEL Bryant has become a lucky charm for Centennials Bulls.
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Since his arrival in the Bathurst Orange Inter District Cricket competition from Nowra the Bulls have won two of the four games he's featured in, keeping their minuscule finals chances alive.
Bryant and the team will look to keep the good times coming in this Saturday's one-day clash against Centrals at Bloomfield Oval.
The Centennials recruit has already made a great impression in a short space of time.
He made a big statement last Saturday when he scored 60 and claimed 3-17 in a crucial win over Kinross, and has worked his way to a batting average of 31.5.
After adjusting to the new venues and a new group of opponents Bryant is settling in well to a new scene.
Bryant believes the BOIDC matches up well in standard with his old Shoalhaven District Cricket Association competition.
"The competition down there five years ago was at a really high standard but I'd say it's around the same level as here now," he said.
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"I'm loving batting on flat wickets. The ones down our way were horrible. The outfields are great here too. Runs are a lot harder to get back where I'm from. At least here you can hit one through the infield and it can run away.
"It's a really great comp. There's a lot of talent up this way."
A family connection put Bryant in touch with the club and he's been enjoying his time in a new arena.
"I'm loving it here. I probably couldn't have picked a better team," he said.
"We're starting to get a few wins too, which is great. The games we've lost have been close ones too. It's not like we're being flogged each time.
"It's just those few little moments in our games which have been letting us down. The team definitely has potential."
Bryant can really make the most of his game over the two remaining one-day clashes against Centrals and City Colts.
I'm loving it here. I probably couldn't have picked a better team.
- Daniel Bryant
His natural inclination is to go after his shots and he's never been one to shy away from keeping the run rate high.
"But I reckon I just need to keep my head down a little longer," he laughed.
"I've always been like that. It's how I play - see ball, hit ball."
Bulls are currently one from four in their one-day matches this season.
It's a surprising result for a team who have traditionally been a force in the shorter formats, but they still have the chance to finish the one-day season with a balanced record.
Centennials are looking to recover a 16-point deficit between themselves and fourth place.