The tall teenager struck 51 against New City and then snared 5-8 in the 136-run demolition on Saturday.

"I unfortunately ran out Matt (Armstrong, Tallangatta's captain-coach) so I just said to myself I can't get out now, I have to actually do something and make up for it and luckily I made a few runs," he offered.

Lee is in his second year with the Bushies after spending four seasons with Wodonga and one at Victorian Premier League outfit Melbourne (2019-20), where he mainly played third grade.

"With COVID, I didn't want to commit to going down to Melbourne because I didn't want to get stuck down there and I knew Matt (Armstrong) from the North East Knights (junior representative program), and I thought if I was going to go back home, would like to have a year under Matt, especially with my batting, he's obviously a really good bat himself, but also a really good coach," Lee suggested.

"My batting is coming along, so I'm starting to see the rewards of it."

Lee's debut year was derailed by a painful side strain injury, posting just 142 runs at 11 and snaring seven wickets at 43.

"It stopped me bowling and hindered my batting as well, but in the last six months I hit the home gym equipment and have got fitter and stronger and luckily I haven't had any injuries," he confirmed.

"It's always good when your nan recognises you've gotten a bit bigger, which is always good for the ego (laughs)."

A year ago, the 19-year-old was 87kgs, but he's now 95 and has also grown taller at an imposing 198cms.

Still, despite the growth spurt, the former Victoria Country under 17 representative (2018-19) admits his motivation was waning after a difficult finish to last summer.

"I don't know if it was the cricket or just the times we're living in with COVID, but when all the cricket started coming back on TV about a month and a half ago, that drive and passion came back and I'm loving my cricket," he enthused.

And the all-rounder will play a crucial role in dictating whether the Bushies return to finals.

A perennial finalist for around a decade, Tallangatta finished second last in 2020-21 as COVID didn't allow overseas players, with the club boasting association superstars in English all-rounder James Weighell and Indian gun Sahib Malhotra during part of that successful run.

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"I just think it's confidence, backing yourself, which is the key for any sport," he reasoned.

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"I'm just thinking a bit smarter and not trying to whack the ball everywhere, trying to rotate the strike."