THIS time last year, Corey Brown still thought of himself as a junior member of Toronto's crack first grade cricket team.
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Toronto Workers went on to win the Newcastle District Cricket Association's first grade premiership.
But then there was a tectonic shift in the off season.
Seven members of the champion Toronto first XI have moved on or aren't playing for the Kookaburras in season 2019-20.
Griffin Lea is playing in the Sydney grade competition with Manly.
Dylan Robertson, Ryan Fenning and Brendon Charlton have returned to the Central Coast competition.
Jeremy Ford is sitting out this season.
And Tim Cox and Aaron Gray have retired.
So, suddenly, things changed for Brown.
"I'm 23 and now I'm the second oldest in the team," the left-handed opening batsman said.
"It's definitely changed my mindset."
Brown now realises that he is one of the senior players in the team, so he intends to play accordingly.
"It's really heightened my keenness to play," he said.
And it's showed in his results in the opening rounds which have so far been 40-over-per-side fixtures.
Toronto's Round 1 match against Wallsend was washed out.
But in Round 2, Brown scored 51 in Toronto's loss to Merewether at Ron Hill Oval, Toronto.
And last Saturday, in Round 3, Brown top scored with 40 in his team's loss to Belmont at Pat Cahill Oval.
"It's been good to get among the runs early," Brown said.
"But in both games we were probably 30 or so runs short, so I've really got to turn my good scores into 80s and higher."
Batting first against Belmont, Toronto made 8-148 from its 40 overs.
Brown's opening partner Connor Lupton (20) and captain Adrian Chad (22) were the next best with the bat.
Having been 1-56 when Lupton was dismissed, Toronto didn't capitalise.
"We thought we had a platform, at that stage, to launch from to get 200 or more, so when we made 148 we knew we were short," Brown said.
Belmont responded with 6-150, and brought up the winning runs in the 39th over.
Brown said Belmont were in control for most of the run chase.
Matt Somerville (3-16 from six overs) was the pick of the bowlers, Brown said.
And Matt's older brother, Andrew Somerville - who has returned to the club after a stint with Manly - impressed with his second spell. He finished with 2-34 from eight overs.
Toronto will take on Wests at Ron Hilll Oval this Saturday.
