It was the biggest challenge of Michael Rixon's life. And he recounted it on a drop-dead gorgeous Saturday as a raging orb dipped low in an unblemished sky, under which the 32-year-old had achieved a mighty feat. Some six years after completing his teaching degree, which he undertook while working two jobs (his biggest challenge), and 18 years after making his top-grade cricket debut, Rixon became North Tamworth's most-capped first-grader. He broke Ron Sipple's record. Rixon's 234th first-grade games for a club that helped ease his transition from boyhood into manhood was a winning one: the Redbacks rebounded from a heavy round one loss to City United by beating Old Boys by two wickets in a one-dayer at Riverside 1 on Saturday, October 14. The top-order batsman and off-spinner - a lifelong Redback - was 14 years old when he made his first-grade debut, and has never been dropped. "It's a great achievement," he said of breaking the record, adding: "I'm a bit of a cricket tragic." While Rixon was developing into one of the region's finest cricketers, the then-Farrer student entertained the idea of becoming a teacher. He ended up doing a greenskeeping apprenticeship at Wests League Club instead. "Sort of lost my way the last couple of years [of high school] - certainly wasn't mature enough to do it," he said of pursuing a career in education. "So I did work experience there [Wests], and an apprenticeship came up ... But I didn't really enjoy the work, to be honest with you, and I wished I had gone and done teaching straight away. Read more: "But I made sure I did it [a teaching degree] ... I enjoy being in class. It's quite a fulfilling job." Rixon did his degree externally through the University of England after returning from a cricket-playing stint in England. He met his wife, Rachael, while playing for the Bollington Cricket Club in Cheshire county in the north-west of the country. He arrived at Bollington, a picturesque town, in 2012. Rachael joined Rixon in Tamworth in 2013. And while doing his degree, he worked simultaneously at Farrer and Peel High. At Farrer he was a residential staff member coaching cricket and rugby, while at Peel he was a teacher's aide. "Outside of cricket, that's one of the things I'm very proud of," he said of obtaining his degree. After five years at tiny Timbumburi Public School, Rixon was recently appointed vice principal at Quirindi Public School. Thunderbolts coach John Ireland is the school's principal. "He's a great guy and a really good mentor to learn off," Rixon said. "It's a great place to work." Against Old Boys, Rixon made a 19-ball 18 as Norths finished on 8-167 chasing 163. Some late wickets, including Rixon's, made for a somewhat exciting conclusion to the match. Bernard O'Connor (36) and Rixon's elder brother, Brendan (30), top-scored for Norths, while Hayden Baker and Jack Hatton both took three wickets for Old Boys, who remain winless. Veteran skipper Ben Middlebrook (47 not out) top-scored for Old Boys, with the wickets shared evenly among the Redbacks' attack. "It became a little tight in the end," Rixon said. "But we still managed to get the bonus point, which is good." Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: