Broes joined rare company over the five-game tournament, becoming the first Bathurst male cricketer since the turn of the century to represent a NSW Country open age team.

While the results didn't go Broes' way - with NSW losing all matches against Queensland and ACT - it was a great experience for the St Pat's Old Boys star against some of Australia's top regional talent.

Broes battled through illness over the back half of the week but he said it did little to lessen the experience of representing NSW.

"Going into it I was unsure if I could still play at that level, having not done any high level training throughout the year, it was nice to see that I could still do that.

"I wouldn't have minded a few more on top of that 87 but it is what it is. I felt good for the first few two days but from then on I was crook, and that played a bit of a factor, but it was great to get that experience.

"I believe moving forward they're looking to take a similar squad. Next year will be in the Barossa Valley so that would be nice to be part of an actual Country Championships fixture."

Along with his 87 against the ACT Broes also picked up 29 against Queensland Country in the last game of the tournament, and finished with one wicket from 8.1 overs across two matches with the ball.

Broes had previously represented the ACT during his time in the nation's capital but relished the chance to represent his home region.

It wasn't an arena that Broes was confident he'd find himself back in, but he's found plenty of drive and determination since coming back to Bathurst.

"When you play at that high level, everything rises. You want to play better and you practice better," he said.

"It was nice to get that feeling back, a feeling that I haven't had for a while. I managed to enjoy a fair bit of it - being crook didn't help - but I enjoyed playing at that level.

"Playing around here was fun but there's no expectations. When you go away with this team you've got to perform at your best, and my mind was at ease the whole time so that was quite comforting."

It wraps up a memorable season of cricket at all levels for Broes, who celebrated the Bonnor Cup and Bathurst Inter District Cricket double with the Saints.

He hopes there's plenty more great times to come.

"If I wasn't enjoying my cricket through the year I told myself that I'd pull the pin and have a few weeks off, a month or however long would be needed," he said.

"But I had a really enjoyable year, and this stuff at the end really capped it off. It was really special.

"You don't get opportunities like this all the time so when they come around you've got to be ready for it. I wasn't going to waste my time and take anyone's spot if I wasn't feeling it.

"The fact that it ended up being such a good year was really pleasing."

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