Marcus Niles' fate was all-but sealed the moment his side upset top qualifiers Mt Maunganui in the Baywide Williams Cup semifinal, although the Greerton stalwart's retirement decision was made a whole lot easier with his side's majestic march to victory in an exhilarating final on Saturday.
Niles' retirement comes after 14 years of senior premier cricket with Eves Greerton, winning a rare piece of silverware with an inspired fielding display at Bay Oval tipping over Element IMF Cadets in a cliffhanger that wasn't settled until the final over.
Greerton ended a 27-year drought in the Williams Cup with an 11-run victory. From scraping into the playoffs a few weeks back, Greerton tipped over the defending champions in a last-over semifinal win before squeezing every inch out of their attack to get past a Jono Boult-inspired Cadets side that looked strong on paper but couldn't go the distance.
Niles, clutching the 80-year-old trophy that no doubt got a decent soaking on Saturday night, said he'd been toying with retirement all season but knew the timing was spot-on when Greerton won the semi.
"One of my big goals in cricket was to play in a Williams Cup final, getting there first and then hopefully winning it. After 14 years it's a pretty special way to bow out," the Tauranga travel agent said.
"Last week winning our semifinal against the Mount solidified my decision because I would get to play in a final, regardless of the result. The family's getting bigger and needs more attention so the timing's about perfect."
Playing on a lifeless Bay Oval wicket that got a soaking on Wednesday night when the covers came off in the wind, skipper Craig Budd elected to bat after winning the toss, with Greerton clawing their way through to a competitive 186 thanks largely to an inspired 107-ball 96 from Northern Districts allrounder Brett Hampton.
At 17-3 in the eighth over Greerton's day in the sun was looking gloomy before Hampton and Budd combined for a 68-run stand, with Budd very much the junior partner, with his 10 runs coming off 20 overs, the last nine of which he didn't score a run from.
Dutch import Sebastiaan Braat notched a breezy unbeaten 21 towards the end after Hampton holed out to Boult at long on, runs that would prove vital at the end as under-19 international seamer Sean Davey produced innings-best figures of 4-37.
"To get through to 186 was a key moment because we always said 150 was defendable in this wicket and 180-plus would win it," Niles said. "Hammer batted superb to get us there but to be fair he owed us a few today. He's been getting good runs at rep level but not much back at club level for a few weeks so it was his turn."
Cadets' chase was a bit of a train wreck in the first hour, with Hampton knocking over Ben Christiansen's poles in the second over. Joe Carter, Matt Hill, and Matthew Drake all went cheaply, Drake to a screamer from Ben Williams at first slip, and the chase looked sick at 43-4.
Boult was the only constant and it was obvious early that Cadets' hopes, once again, were riding on how long the gritty left-hander could stick it out, particularly against the likes of right-arm seamer Campbell Thomas, who had the ball on a string and boasted a remarkable 2-3 from his first five overs. Boult and Zac Scott added 34 for the sixth wicket before Scott went to a dipping slower ball from Braat, with the Dutchman snaring the key wicket of Davey a couple of overs later to another diving effort by Williams at short midwicket.
Needing 55 from the last 10 overs all eyes were on Boult as he dominated the strike and worked the ball into the gaps superbly. But just when he looked like he would take the game away from Greerton, with Cadets needing 26 from the last three overs, Hampton struck in the 48th over, getting Boult (66) to chase a wide delivery which Budd gloved diving wide to his left. In an instant victory was Greerton's.
Thomas, Braat and Hampton bagged two each, with Shane Wineti (1-29) and Murray Jarvis (1-15) a big part of a match-winning effort with the ball too.
Jarvis has been part of the Greerton furniture for a decade longer than Niles, arriving shortly after the club's last Williams Cup win in 1985.
"They were a bit of a star-studded team back then. We've got a couple of good individuals but aren't a team of stars, and today's win was the result of a great team effort.
"As a team Greerton have always been a bit unfashionable and ... hopefully next season we'll build on the strength that's here and the success of today."
After 24 years in black and gold, 40-year-old Jarvis has no plans to follow Niles out to pasture.
"I'm available for the seniors again but I'm quite happy to play reserve grade if they decide I'm too old and slow.
"If that's what pans out then today was a good way to bow out."