![Hunter Ryan and his dad Mitch Ryan took six wickets between them in Baranduda's win away to Albury on Saturday. Picture by Mark Jesser Hunter Ryan and his dad Mitch Ryan took six wickets between them in Baranduda's win away to Albury on Saturday. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131362666/387a9cca-02c6-4fb3-a0af-b33966b4a7ff.jpg/r0_0_5568_3712_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mitch and Hunter Ryan can boast something which almost no other cricketers can.
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Not only are the father-son duo playing A-grade cricket together but they were part of the first Baranduda side to win a game in Cricket Albury-Wodonga's top flight.
Even better, the Ryans combined for six wickets in the demolition of Albury on Saturday with 17-year-old Hunter sealing the maiden provincial triumph when he had Jaeden O'Connell, his former team-mate, caught by Martyn Allwood.
It was the sort of magical moment only sport can provide.
"That's why you play," Mitch said.
"We played in finals together last year but defending a low score like that (91), you could feel the energy off everyone.
"To do it with Hunter on the field, and both of us contributing, that doesn't happen very often so it's something special.
"To be in the first win and to have Hunter up the other end, taking the last wicket, that just capped it off."
![Baranduda's Hunter Ryan. Picture by Mark Jesser Baranduda's Hunter Ryan. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131362666/cbcfc0c0-9095-45e9-acdd-b5dfcf54523d.jpg/r0_0_5568_3712_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mitch took 5-22 as Albury slumped to 67 all out, with Hunter picking up 1-7 from his four overs.
"We had a discussion about the need to build momentum," Mitch said.
"It was one of those days where a couple of (my) lbws could have not been given or someone up the other end could have got a few more wickets, I was just lucky on the day.
"It wasn't just the fact we won, it was the way all the older guys got around the kids.
"It was a relief because everyone went 'you know what, we've got this first win out of the way, we are good enough to be here, let's go on now.'"
Mitch, 38, played his first game for the club 23 years ago, following in the footsteps of his father Dave, while Hunter is now nine years into a Baranduda career which started in the U12s as an eight-year-old.
"This will be our second full year in A-grade together," Mitch explained.
"It's huge for me; it's the only reason I hung around, really.
![Mitch Ryan is also the Rangers president. Picture by Mark Jesser Mitch Ryan is also the Rangers president. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131362666/0e2c7988-1c1f-43d8-94b1-82c580562258.jpg/r0_0_5568_3712_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I was contemplating retiring a few years ago but we had a chat and Hunter said he wanted to kick on before he goes to uni so I thought I'd hang around and see how we go.
"When we first took the field for a couple of games, I was like 'that's it, I can retire now, I've done what I set out to do' but luckily, the body's held out long enough for me to play this season.
"If we're both good enough to stay in A-grade, we'll cross that 50-game barrier together and that's a huge thing for us and the family."
Learning how to be good team-mates hasn't been hard.
"We've spent a lot of time over the years talking rubbish together, in all sports, so when we're out on the field, we bounce off each other really well," Mitch said.
"He already knows what I'm thinking most of the time before I do it and I'm the same.
"When he's bowling, I can look around the field and know what he's going to do before he does it.
"Having Zach (Leach) as our captain, I coached Zach when he was 12 and I've known him for 15 years so that really flows in as well."
![Hunter and Mitch Ryan. Picture by Mark Jesser Hunter and Mitch Ryan. Picture by Mark Jesser](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131362666/9bdfc0f9-dd84-441d-8b64-ceed2884fc9f.jpg/r0_0_5527_3685_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Leach laughed when asked about Mitch's five-wicket haul.
"I told Hunter in the week 'you're probably our No.1 spinner now and your Dad's going to be No.2," Leach said.
"But we've come here today and Mitch takes five-fer.
"Hunter bowled awesome as well but Mitch showed his experience and his skill.
"I couldn't be more happy for him, having been here for so long and finally reaping the rewards."
Hunter, who's doing his Year 11 exams at Victory Lutheran College in Wodonga, has earned that prominence.
"That is exactly how it's meant to be," Mitch smiled.
"In the first game, against St Pat's, he took that first role.
![Hunter Ryan, 17, wanted to play A-grade cricket for Baranduda before heading off to university. Picture by Ash Smith Hunter Ryan, 17, wanted to play A-grade cricket for Baranduda before heading off to university. Picture by Ash Smith](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131362666/daa0c122-48c4-4b2d-bda0-1662d9e1ff25.jpg/r343_263_2388_1579_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"This week, it came down to ends. He wanted to bowl one end and I wanted to bowl the other end and it just so happened my end came up first so I got more overs.
"But Zach's really keen on blooding the youth and Hunter is the next cab off the rank.
"He's more of an orthodox spinner.
"He's got a really good technique and gets right up over the top of the ball, where I'm a little bit flatter and tend to bowl darts.
"Hunter gets a lot more turn than me."
And to see Hunter making headlines in provincial cricket already vindicates Baranduda's decision to step up from the District competition.
"We've got a really strong junior base and we wanted to give those kids the best opportunity to continue playing at a higher level," Mitch said.
"With all the time and effort we're putting into our juniors, we wanted them to keep going through the ranks and play B-grade and A-grade for us.
"That way, the old blokes like me get to sit back in a few years' time and hopefully watch them win a flag in provincial."
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