In this week's edition of 'A Lap of the Boundary', Kooringal Colts' Dave Bolton wrestles with cricket's ability to draw you in, lift you up, and keep you grounded. All at the same time.
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Dave Bolton is pretty sure a lifelong love of cricket is a blessing, rather than a curse.
But sometimes it depends how you look at it. Or how you're playing.
"It's funny. As I get older, I could take or leave the actual playing but I really enjoy the company," the Kooringal Colts opening bat says.
"I'm probably not as competitive, particularly this year. The way I've got out suggests I'm not putting as high a price on my wicket as I should be. But having a young family, I grew up around cricket and I still want to give my young bloke the opportunity to grow up around a cricket club."
Originally from Perth, Bolton came to Wagga five years ago, via Sydney where he had a couple of seasons with Randwick-Petersham.
Finding a home at Colts was essential. The 39-year-old has always enjoyed being part of a broad group of people with a variety of backgrounds bound together by a love for an enigmatic game.
"It can be quite an isolating sport," he says.
"You are part of a team when you're out there but, particularly batting... you might just get a good one, or have a bit of bad luck. It's such a game of chance. If someone bowls a really good ball, that's out of your control. It doesn't matter how well you're training during the week.
"I think the harder you practice, the luckier you get. But it can be a lonely game. Even if your team's winning but you can't score a run.
"It's a great metaphor for life... to not get too carried away in the good times and not get too down in the bad times because cricket's got a way of biting you on the butt.
"No matter what level you play or what your ability is, you never quite conquer it, I think."
This season has been a little lean but Bolton amassed 777 runs last season, averaging 51.80, and has been a highly respected opponent since arriving in 2014.
He was part of Colts' success in 2014-15 in his first full season, scoring four half-centuries and a 147, not to mention taking 34 wickets at 8.47.
"I was a fair bit younger as well," Bolton says with a laugh.
"I would class myself as a batsman who bowls a bit of medium pace. Not so much (bowling) at the moment because I feel better on a Sunday if I don't bowl. It's easier to pick my two-year-old up."
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He says there are plenty of talented cricketers in Wagga, none more so than teammate Keenan Hanigan.
"I think Keenan, our captain, is an underrated cricketer," Bolton says.
"He's shouldered a pretty big load with his bowling and he's a very good batsman. But he's like a lot of guys here - they don't know how good they are, and if the do realise it, their games will go to the next level.
"He's a very, very good player."
Bolton is also a big fan of South Wagga's Blake Harper.
"He's probably on the precipice of being the premier cricketer in the competition, or close to it. Obviously Jono (Nicoll, Wagga City Cats) is a great professional and a great person to look up to for guys that want to take their cricket seriously.
"Mitch Sykes is a very good bowler.
"And for pure natural talent, I love watching Alex Smeeth bat, as a left-hander. I've grown up on fast wickets where I just stand and deliver with my hands, whereas he's grown up in England and uses the sweep shot and his wrists. I love the way he manoeuvres the ball around.
"That keeps me playing as well. Just watching these guys who are good cricketers. Really good cricketers."
This is a man who knows. A man who, on a road trip, will stop in small towns along the way to check out the cricket ground. A man who follows a lot of cricket - county cricket, first-class cricket, and of course, his home club Subiaco Floreats every Saturday.
"I played there from the time I was 10 til I left in my early 30s and played every grade," he says, rattling them off.
"From under 13s, 15s, 17s, fourth grade, colts, third grade, second grade, first grade. That was my club."
Bolton progressed to junior state sides, representing WA in under 17s and under 19s. And Perth cricket in those days saw some handy players.
"It was great when I was younger. I got the best of both worlds. I got to play against some professional cricketers, without actually having to be professional myself," Bolton says.
"They used to be available a lot more for grade cricket... this was the late 90s, early 2000s and we could play a Test cricketer a week after a Test match. All the good West Australians of that period I got to play against."
He's trying not to drop names but it's a list that includes the likes of Justin Langer, Damien Martyn and Joe Angel.
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It was a magical start to a journey that has also taken in seasons in the north of England and fostered an appreciation that he hopes will be discovered by others, amid the modern era of sports codes competing to harness the next potential talent.
"The challenge for cricket, and any sport at the moment, is to not fall into the trap of trying to appeal to kids as a profession, as opposed to a lifelong love," Bolton says.
"I still play because... I don't know why I keep playing but, I do.
"And I just hope that the next generation of cricketers are brought up with the same love of the game."