A couple of seasons back, nearly to the day, Peter Drysdale was the one thrust into a support role as Bay of Plenty opener Bharat Popli hit a sparkling ton to lead his side to a last-gasp win over Hamilton to lift the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl.
So it was only fitting that the 23-year-old younger brother of world champion single sculler Mahe Drysdale grabbed his moment to shine at the same ground at the weekend, hitting his maiden century for the minor association as they won back the Fergus Hickey from Hamilton with surprising ease, rebounding after a so-so start to the summer with 21 out of a possible 23 Rosebowl points post-Christmas.
The elegant left-hander hit 102 on Saturday at Mt Maunganui as Bay of Plenty defied the forecast weather bomb to get through to stumps at 250-7, before adding another 54 yesterday morning in the winner-takes-all battle for first innings supremacy.
Hamilton, the national Hawke Cup holders, were ordinary in the face of a determined Bay of Plenty onslaught, losing their first four wickets with barely 50 on the board and folding for 150 in 55.3 overs, with spin duo Dale Swan (4-19) and Jono Boult (3-43) doing the bulk of the damage. Hamilton got to 72-1 in their second dig before the pegs were pulled.
Just like two seasons ago Bay of Plenty went into the sudden-death season finale just a point behind Hamilton in the standings and Drysdale timed his knock to perfection, standing like a totem amongst the middle order wreckage in an innings that lasted almost 5 hours and 270 balls.
In these days of slash and burn cricket Drysdale is almost a throwback but isn't making any apologies for the time he takes to get going.
"It was probably what you'd call a typically patient innings but that's the way I grind it out in two-dayers traditionally. I get some stick from the boys for playing the way I do but there were a few tough patches through the middle of the innings were I had to guts it out and when the spin bowlers came on it was a bit trickier as well."
Drysdale and opener Joe Carter put on 29 for the first innings, while Popli (39) and Drysdale added a vital 98 for the second wicket.
Jono Boult, Matthew Drake, Scott Steward and Tim Clarke came and went quickly, leaving it to Drysdale and Brett Hampton (81) to resuscitate the innings.
"A couple of years back Bharat was the one doing it with the bat so it was good to play a big one and reverse the roles, especially in such a big game for the team.
"Bas supported me this time and Hammer [Hampton] was great and that partnership was pretty crucial in the overall scheme."
Incredibly, the Northern Districts A rep had never got to three figures before for the Bay.
"Today was my 25th game for the Bay and all the other boys who've played 25 have had a hundred so I was determined to go out and do it."
Hamilton battled from the outset and once the top disappeared Boult and Swan had a field-day, with Boult having the luxury of runs up his sleeve and crowding the Hamilton batsmen with catchers. Some of the Hamilton wickets came from ugly slogs - perplexing given they've come off two Hawke Cup three-day wins and had all day yesterday to get through to 305.
"Our quicks did great and got a couple more out than we thought and then the spinners were able to put the pressure on," Drysdale said. "The way they batted did surprise a bit and I'm not sure what their plan was - to go out and polish off 300 positively or grind it out. At least for me my mind was made up early how I'd do it because that's the way I play."
Fergus Hickey Rosebowl scores:
Bay of Plenty 304 (Peter Drysdale 102, Joe Carter 17, Bharat Popli 39, Brett Hampton 81; A Mathieson 2-63, Anton Devcich 5-54, J Walker 2-56) won on first innings from Hamilton 150 (Mike Dodunski 22, Lance Martin 25, Peter Bocock 26; Tony Goodin 1-18, Sean Davey 1-22, Jono Boult 3-43, Dale Swan 4-19) and 71-1 (Dodunski 59, Goodin 1-25).