Bayley Wiggins in action for Central Stags against Otago Volts in January. Photo / Getty Images
Simplicity is the key to Bayley Wiggins' first-class cricket season after experiencing the game's highs and lows in his first few red-ball outings for Central Districts.
''I'm trying to keep it as simple as I can and focusing on one game at a time,'' says the Cornwall Club player, after making his first-class debut for Central Districts in the Plunket Shield against Canterbury last month.
It was a debut to remember as the 23-year-old right-handed batsman from Hastings made a century in CD's first innings.
''The day before at training the coach [Rob Walter] just said to me I'll be playing and making my debut. I kinda had some sort of idea but it was pretty cool him letting me know before.''
CD were 101-5 when Wiggins, batting at seven, came to the crease in the 34th over at Christchurch's Hagley Oval.
Although partner Dane Cleaver departed 27 runs later, Wiggins and bowler Ben Wheeler were able to put on a seventh-wicket partnership of 183 before Wheeler was out for 74, with Wiggins eventually making 133.
''In the first innings we were in a difficult situation so that kept me under pressure, made me sort of go through my processes even more as we were under the pump a little bit.
''I guess that's the nature of red-ball cricket, or cricket in general. Situation awareness is always going to be at the top of your mind and that's what I had to do in that first game.''
The Canterbury attack that Wiggins and his teammates faced included current Black Cap fast bowler Matt Henry.
''I think especially with the quality of the competition, you're always going to have guys like that playing against you.
''You get around not worrying about the names and just focusing on the ball, but it's always cool facing bowlers like that and going up against that sort of quality.''
CD's second Plunket Shield match of the season was against Otago last weekend in Dunedin.
Wiggins was promoted to open in the absence of Ben Smith, due to the impending birth of Smith's first child.
''At this stage in my career, I prefer batting in the middle order, but I don't mind opening and have done it for Hawke's Bay a lot.''
Unfortunately, Wiggins was out for a third-ball duck in CD's first innings.
The team went on to score 394 in their first innings, with fellow opener and captain Grey Hay scoring 152.
Otago amassed 642 for six declared in their first innings over a total of 179 overs, before the visitors reached 274 for two in their second innings and the match ended in a draw.
''That's a first for me to be fielding that many overs. It just shows that at a high level of cricket one day you're on top of the world and the next you can be back in the sheds after your first ball.
''It helped me deal with the highs and lows of cricket and really watch how my captain went about it. It was cool watching him bat and hopefully one day I can replicate my game around what he does well and what I do well.''
Wiggins made his T20 debut for the Central Stags in February 2019 and his 50-over Ford Trophy debut for them in January 2020.
''I've always had an aggressive nature to my batting, so the last couple of seasons we've been trying to work out my plan to nail the four-day format and Rob Walter has definitely helped me with that over winter and changed a few things in my technique to try and get me ready for four-day cricket.''
In the shorter formats, Wiggins has had the wicketkeeping gloves and it's a role he's keen to perform again in the future.
''I'm always keeping the gloves on at training and feeding off [first-choice CD wicketkeeper] Dane Cleaver who's probably one of the next in line for a test spot, so it's always good to have him challenging me at training and we're always working together and trying to get better.''
Wiggins is thankful to others that have guided his career so far.
His father Bryce, a former Hawke's Bay Senior rep, and mother Joanne have been instrumental, along with his first club coach, former New Zealand test player Mike Shrimpton, who died in 2015.
''He had a lot to do with developing me as a youngster.''
When it comes to Central Districts legend Scott Briasco, Wiggins says ''he got me to where I am today''.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Wiggins is clearly excited about the potential of the squad.
''Everyone is absolutely pumped and just fizzing. The buy-in is massive in our team, so [it's] a very exciting season ahead.''
Wiggins is planning to do some study next winter, although he hasn't made a final decision on a subject.
Looking further ahead, he's keen to experience cricket overseas, with an English summer with a club or county a target. But the ultimate quest remains the Black Caps.
''We all have that schoolboy dream to play test cricket for your country and it's a dream of mine to hopefully one day play for New Zealand.''