"I came in when we were three for not many so I had to work my way in with the pitch doing a little bit, too," Young said last night after adding 78 runs as CD were 208-6 off 60 overs at stumps against the Wellington Firebirds.
"There's always pressure but we do bat quite deep so I need to worry about my game and just play the ball in my areas," said the Taranaki batsman, putting it down to "another day at the office and getting a little lucky".
But the former New Zealand age-group captain, who turns 21 in a fortnight, took a patient 137 balls, including a dozen boundaries, to top score on a rain-interrupted day that would have demanded grit rather than luck.
He forged a vital partnership with his skipper, No5 Kieran Noema-Barnett, who scored 55 runs from 104 balls, including 10 fours, to provide a respectable platform that would have pleased the Firebirds.
"At the end of the day, Barney and I needed to be there longer but we went out in quick succession," he lamented, adding the prayers in the changing room with coach Henrich Malan had reached a consensus the pair should have occupied the crease for about 30 minutes more to put the defending champions in the box seat.
"[Peter] Trego got out as well and from there it was not to be," he said as ex-Black Caps veteran wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk, not out 14 at No6, and No7 Black Caps allrounder Doug Bracewell, unbeaten on eight, will resume this morning.
"Kruger is a fighter and ... Dougie comes on and off his own game so it'll be an interesting day tomorrow."
As predicted, rain ate up a good chunk of the day with play starting about 2.30pm.
The umpires changed the ball in just 14.2 overs but Young said it wasn't because of a damp outfield but simply because it had lost its shape.
"We can't blame the ball or anything but it was actually a good thing because we didn't lose too many wickets after that."
Young said the players spent the first three to four hours in the changing rooms because of rain but again reiterated inclement weather, ball and other such factors were not excuses to underachieve.
No doubt, Noema-Barnett would have bowled first had he won the toss because the wicket was cooking under the covers for at least 48 hours.
"Tricky customer" Brent Arnel was the pick of Firebirds bowlers, taking 4-61 from 20 overs, including two maidens.
"Arnel was bowling really well, banging away to the right line and lengths."
