A teenage leg-spinner is looking to baffle batsmen this summer.
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East Albury's Praveen Pathmanathan debuted against Wodonga Raiders in March, 2019, but will play just his third 50-over game away to Tallangatta on Saturday.
"He's a very smart kid and he's a wicket-taker," Crows' coach Dylan Weeding said.
"He knows cricket, he knows what he's doing and he knows what he wants to do, he just loves it."
The 16-year-old has been learning his craft through the Crows' junior grades, taking 20 wickets at 10 in last year's B grade competition.
"We said if he gets whacked every now and then, so be it, and obviously we're seeing the rewards now," Weeding said.
"He's grown in the last 12 months and is a little bit stronger, which has helped him bowl quicker through the air."
Like all leg-spinners, in particular, it's a brutal baptism as they develop the technique and strength in the fingers to control the ball.
"Normally when I play senior games, I try and get some protection out early and when I've got myself into a rhythm, I bring them in and attack a bit more," he said.
The Albury High School year 10 student claimed his first top grade wickets in last week's thrilling one-wicket win over St Patrick's.
He finished with 2-31 from eight overs, snaring top order batsmen Mitch O'Brien and skipper Dean Nicholson.
"So far it's been alright (in first grade), it's just a bit more intense and serious I guess," he said.
Pathmanathan has a number of deliveries in his weaponary, the regulation leg-spinner, the top-spinner and the wrongun, but he's also working on the flipper.
"It's definitely the hardest to bowl because it comes underneath, it's a bit uncontrollable at times," he admitted.
Team-mates have been part of the learning lesson opponents are now finding.
"There's a few blokes made the comment last week that they don't particularly enjoy facing him (at training)," Weeding said.
That says so much about his bowling because, historically, it's the club's quickest bowlers who plenty try to avoid.
The nets can have a claustrophobic feel against pacemen, so many love the idea of smashing the spinners.
"They (coach Weeding and captain Brett Davies) just say my best ball's good enough if I bowl that, I'll be alright," he said.
Pathmanathan and fellow teen Coby Fitzsimmons will form a leg-spinning combination.
"Prav's a ripping kid and and he's got serious potential," Weeding enthused.
Players will now just be hoping Saturday's predicted rain stays away.
Tallangatta's home game last week was washed out, due to the wet weather in the days leading up, so there will be particular interest in the Rowen Park wicket.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Four sides failed to start the season with Wodonga and Wodonga Raiders to debut their teams, while New City, which had the first round bye, will play another first gamer in Belvoir.
Elsewhere, Albury hosts Corowa and St Patrick's host North Albury.
