A largely unheralded teenage off-spinner is playing a crucial role as Corowa targets a finals berth in its maiden season.
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Luke Backhouse sits seventh in the wicket-takers with 23 at 14 apiece, including a career-best 6-21 against Wodonga Raiders in the second match of the double-header weekend.
"I probably bowled better on the Saturday," the 19-year-old admitted.
The right-armer shot into the association's top 10 after earlier claiming 2-26 in the 23-run win over fellow finals contenders Belvoir.
It's well known all spinners need a 'helping hand' at times, given they will undoubtedly receive some punishment.
And Backhouse is fortunate in that he has former NSW Country offie Ben Mitchell as a team-mate.
"He's been grouse (awesome) for me, he picks up when I'm not doing something right when I'm bowling in a game and he'll tell me what to work on," he explained.
"(Captain) Daniel Athanitis and 'Eggy' (Jarred Lane) keep my head up and tell me not to worry about it too much if you get hit for six."
Backhouse isn't a huge turner of the ball, so relies on deception.
"It's more flight for me and trying to get the batsmen to play every ball," he said.
Just about every Australian cricket follower will be wishing the national team did just that in the final Test against India instead of the quicks bowling short, so it's refreshing to see a youngster with the right approach.
In short, if Corowa wins its last three games, it should play finals, despite the last round bye, where you don't receive points.
"It's pretty good (the buzz around the club), we would have taken eight wins going into this year, everyone's pretty excited, we just need to keep winning and hopefully slip in," he offered.
Corowa was scheduled to start that run at home on Saturday against East Albury, which was set to debut boom tennis prodigy Rory Parnell.
However, the round was postponed around 6pm on Friday night as a result of the COVID-enforced Victorian lockdown.
All five games are classed as postponed, with a 'catch up' date yet to be decided.
Corowa also has an away match against runaway leaders North Albury before rounding out against ninth-placed New City, which boasts gun bat Shoaib Shaikh.
Remarkably, just one win separates teams two through eight in what is the association's tightest finish in years.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The ladder is: North 75, Albury 57, Lavington 57, East 57, St Pat's 54, Corowa 54, Belvoir 51, Wodonga 51, New City 36, Tallangatta 24, Raiders 24.
