WHEN it comes to cricket, black and white runs through the veins of Jason Crosbie.
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His passion for the game rivals his loyalty to North Ballarat in the Ballarat Cricket Association.
Now 29, Crosbie joined North Ballarat at 12 years of age and has progressed through junior ranks to now spearhead the club’s first eleven’s attack.
“I’ll never be going anywhere.
“I’ve got black and white in my blood now,” he said.
With a young team, Crosbie happily takes on a mentoring role.
“I coached the juniors a few years ago, and it’s great to see them coming through now and playing alongside them,” he said.
“I encourage them to not get ahead of themselves, keep their head in the right place on game day.
“I try to be as much of an example as I can,” Crosbie said.
Crosbie is enjoying the game more than ever.
It helps that he is in form with the ball.
He toiled away to take 5-38 off 23.5 overs against Ballarat-Redan on Saturday, giving him nine wickets in three rounds for the season.
Crosbie listed this, another five-wicket haul late last season, a thirds premiership in 2002-03 and a century in the seconds among career highlights.
A horticulturist who works as a plant operator and gardener with the City of Ballarat, has one major goal when he gets his hands on the new ball.
“As an opening bowler, I try every game to break that opening partnership in my first spell – get an early wicket to set us up for the game ahead,” he said.
“And then beyond that, to break up the runs and ensure wickets keep falling – at my end or the other, after all it’s a team sport.”
He is hoping his contribution is this round has laid the foundation for a North Ballarat win at the City Oval tomorrow.
nicole.cairns@thecourier.com.au