Central Western Daily sports desk reveals Orange District Cricket Association's best team of the MyCricket era

Just ask The Grade Cricketer about that, there's nothing quite like letting everyone know just how much you're averaging with the bat, or how big a season you've had with the ball.

Before MyCricket was established that was a lot easier though, with the easy ability to cross-check now there's substantially less players inflating their averages and with their egos.

The numbers don't lie after all and now, with Orange District Cricket Association's 2018-19 competitions run and won and the Central Western Daily's Team Of The Year picked and revealed, we've trawled through them to answer another question.

By the numbers, what would the ODCA's best side from the MyCricket era look like.

Using five batters, an all-rounder, a wicketkeeper, four bowlers and a 12^th man as a template for the outfit, we've picked what the statistics say is the premier side since the ODCA began using MyCricket in season in 2008-09.

For the record we've named three quicks and a spinner in that attack too and it's based on aggregates, which helps place some important on longevity although it does rule out the likes of Waratahs' Ray Doolan and Orange City's Taylor Beatty.

There's a handful of players of their ilk that have outstanding numbers but only have one season in Orange on record, they deserve a nod regardless though.

Without further adieu we give you Orange District Cricket Association's Team Of The MyCricket Era, in batting order.

GAMES: 99 | INN: 101 | RUNS: 4191 | AVE: 49.31 | 100s: 10 | 50s: 24 | HS: 222 not out

Widely-considered one of the ODCA's best cricketers this century and his numbers since 2008-09 back that up.

Accounted for 895 of his 4191 runs in one season alone, in 2013-14 when Cavaliers went on to the premiership although he actually missed the grand final. He scored four centuries that year including an unbeaten 222 in round one against Waratahs, averaging 81.4.

His conversion rate is impeccable, he regularly turned half-tons into centuries and outside that enjoyed ridiculous success while at the helm of Cavaliers, Orange and Mitchell Cricket Council.

That's why he's captaining this side, he also has 87 wickets in the MyCricket era at 15.63, handy numbers for a 'part-time spinner'.

GAMES: 82 | INN: 87 | RUNS: 2113 | AVE: 26.75 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 11 | HS: 131 not out

Although he's regularly batted throughout the top six for the red and blacks, Orange and Mitchell over the years his best numbers come when he's at the top, so he'll partner Venner.

A hard-hitting bat who can take a game away from a rival side in the blink of an eye, Dunlop's lone ton in the MyCricket era actually came this summer, he scored 131 not out against CYMS earlier in the year.

Produced an epic performance in the 2011-12 grand final too, producing a game-high dig of 72 and taking a couple of dismissals behind the stumps in Centrals' win over Cavaliers.

GAMES: 66 | INN: 65 | RUNS: 2017 | AVE: 40.34 | 100s: 2 | 50s: 14 | HS: 156 not out

A former CYMS skipper and Western Zone rep who makes the cut here despite playing substantially less games and batting substantially less times than his top-order counterparts.

His numbers are superb and he enjoyed his best season in the MyCricket era in 2014-15 when CYMS won the title, scoring 540 runs that summer at a whopping average of 77.10, including that big ton.

In a top-order full of hard-hitting, explosive bats he's the perfect No.3, he'd be the rock while the others batted around him.

GAMES: 126 | INN: 134 | RUNS: 4111 | AVE: 35.75 | 100s: 4 | 50s: 27 | HS: 140 not out

Grenfell is Orange City's leading first grade run-scorer of all-time and is among the Warriors' best bats year-in, year-out, he was again in 2018-19 too and scored a blistering 79 in last weekend's grand final win.

Although his conversion rate leaves a little to be desired there's no questioning his hunger for runs and his ability to score them either, and he's more than capably batted everywhere in the top six too.

Another former Western Zone rep, Grenfell's actually taken more wickets than two this side's front-line attack too. He's snared 148 scalps at 16.14 in the MyCricket era but despite being pipped for the all-rounders spot he's an automatic selection as a bat.

Oh, he's Kinross' worst nightmare too. Four of his five five-wicket hauls in the last 11 summers have come against the students.

GAMES: 96 | INN: 99 | RUNS: 2255 | AVE: 25.92 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 10 | HS: 120

We didn't anticipate this happening in conceptualising this side, and we're horrified it has.

But we won't move the goalposts just because it means including Findlay, the former Orange City, Orange and Mitchell skipper's numbers force us to name him even if that average is ordinary for a top-order bat.

GAMES: 96 | INN: 96 | RUNS: 2872 | AVE: 33.40 | 100s 3 | 50s: 21 | HS 145

OVERS: 872.4 | WICKETS: 160 | AVE: 13.13 | STR: 32.73 | 5WI: 2 | BEST: 6-30

Certainly the most-damaging cricketer in Orange District Cricket Association's modern era and arguably Western Zone's too, whether that be with bat or ball.

Middleton, affectionately labelled 'The Governer' by his teammates, is playing as this side's all-rounder but he'd get a run as a specialist batter or bowler too, such is his Jacques Kallis-esque success in both disciplines.

Find us a player who says they enjoyed bowling to Middleton or facing him, and you've find a liar.

GAMES: 101 | INN: 101 | RUNS: 2396 | AVE: 29.95 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 13 | HS: 178 not out

CATCHES: 100 | STUMPINGS: 16

Corben is still only 23 and considering that his numbers are all the more impressive, and he's really come into his own in the past couple of seasons.

His approach is a stark contrast to that of a number of the top-order batters but any skipper who has him coming in at seven would be the envy of any opposition side.

His unbeaten 178 this summer was a remarkable innings and he's far and away the best gloveman in Orange and Western, and earned his first Zone cap in 2018-19 as a result.

He's taken 13 catches without the glove too, and is a more-than-handy slipper.

GAMES: 95 | OVERS: 798.1 | WICKETS: 141 | AVE: 16.58 | STR: 33.96 | 5WI: 6 | BEST: 5-14

In a competition full of outswing bowlers Martin's hooping in-duckers were a valuable point of difference in for every skipper he played under, and with the somewhat unnatural bounce he generated too he caused Orange's top order bats a world of trouble.

Was as good with the old ball as he was with the new rock and played for many seasons and took countless wickets before the MyCricket era too, producing a number of match-winning efforts with the bat from the lower order along the way as well.

GAMES: 78 | OVERS: 748.3 | WICKETS: 132 | AVE: 14.41 | STR: 34.02 | 5WI: 4 | BEST: 7-44

Rutter, Norman, Fang - whatever you know him as, there's was never any real doubt Orange City's evergreen seamer was going to be in this side despite just five of his on-record seasons being played in the top grade.

That's a fair nod to how potent he was in the Warriors' attack, considering his numbers were excellent but his best years probably came before the MyCricket era.

His best season on record came in 2009-10 when he took 34 scalps at 12.79 in the top grade and he's always been a handy lower-order bat too, it came back in the Bathurst-Orange Inter-District Cricket Association days but he's got a first grade ton under his belt.

GAMES: 81 | OVERS: 1020.2 | WICKETS: 176 | AVE: 15.51 | STR: 34.78 | 5WI: 7 | BEST: 6-15

Since linking with the green and golds in 2012-13 from Bathurst District Cricket Association Novak has gone on to become the most prolific wicket-taker in Orange's MyCricket era, topping the list with 176 scalps at a stunning average of 15.51.

Another who's effective with both the new and old balls, Novak's best summer in Orange came in 2016-17 when he took 35 scalps at 12.89.

Novak's never been an out-and-out speedster, but like Martin and Rutledge he's had the ball on an absolute string over the years.

GAMES: 68 | OVERS: 757.5 | WICKETS: 169 | AVE: 11.68 | STR: 26.91 | 5WI: 10 | BEST 7-31

'The Mamba' terrorised Orange's bats while he was wearing green and gold and his numbers prove that.

Wickets aside his average of 11.68 during the MyCricket era is testament to how tough he was to get away and his 10 five-wicket hauls are the most of any bowler during that period.

A left-arm spinner, he often operated exclusively from one end while the seamers were rotated at the other and in that respect he was an absolute dream for his skippers.

GAMES: 109 | OVERS: 912.5 | WICKETS: 161 | AVE: 14.5 | STR: 34.02 | 5W: 5 | BEST: 5-15

On numbers alone he'd have been in the top XI but with room for only one spinner Wright has been resigned to 12^th man duties in this outfit, and statistically his record is impeccable.

Another left-arm tweaker, Wright used to work in conjunction beautifully with Cavaliers' seamers and often operated in tandem with Venner at the other end too.

Always provided a real annoyance for other teams with the bat as well. Whenever Cavaliers' top-order collapsed you could bet your bottom dollar Wright would save them with a handy 40 or 50.

Having another spin option in the side would be handy too, if the team was to ever tour the subcontinent.