Toby Richardson is a bat-making apprentice but the word is the teenager also has some inside knowledge on how a cricket ball behaves too.
The Ruahine Motors Central Hawke's Bay player yesterday became the architect of a monumental collapse of the opposition in round two of the premier men's club cricket match at Ongaonga Domain.
Heretaunga Building Society Cornwall were running away with the rain-reduced 120-over English-style match at 180-1 when CHB skipper Scott Schaw chucked the ball to the 18-year-old.
The right-arm offspinner reduced the target-chasing visitors to 216 all out for an eight-run defeat, despite rookie Cornwall captain Jacob Smith making 103 runs at No2, including eight boundaries and three sixes.
Central HB, who racked up 224-5 in their rain-reduced 48 overs, had eight balls to spare for an outright victory over this year's Twenty/20 champions.
"I'm not sure what it was. It must have been that I was just feeling it today. I guess it just worked," Richardson said after a 7-29 haul from 9.2 overs, including four maidens.
While the Laver and Wood employee has had seven-wicket hauls before it was his maiden one at premier level.
"I was just called to come on to bowl in the fifth or sixth change about four overs after drinks and it all started to happen.
"All the boys put in their all and we went hard out so it's a great win," he said before heading off to the local pub to enjoy a couple of drinks last night.
Schaw said Bay captain Smith was hitting everything "cleanly" but they still had to focus on fellow opener Jayden Waters who scored 48 and No3 Michael Taiaroa who added 32 in an innings that had four ducks.
For Central HB, No4 Hamish Lewis top-scored with 68 not-out while opener Henry Hunter made 50 and No6 Paul Hindmarsh added 36.
At Anderson Park in Napier, Bronson Meehan and Turangi Fraser claimed 4-21 and 4-30, respectively, to help Complete Flooring Napier Technical Old Boys crush Havelock North by eight wickets.
The visitors won the toss and had the hosts padding up only to be skittled for 125 in 38.2 overs.
Central Districts squad member Jeet Raval scored 80 runs but no one forged a decent partnership.
Tech overhauled the total with 128-2 in 24.2 overs in the rain-reduced 53-over affair with Bay rep Stevie Smidt unbeaten on 72 at No4 and No3 Alex McGarva contributing 40 runs to secure bonus points.
"I don't want to press any buttons here but they [Havelock] really only had two batsmen and that's why they are in need of help," said Tech skipper George Diack, feeling the wicket was also not up to standard yet.
The Taradale v Napier Old Boys' Marist match at Nelson Park had no result after umpires lifted the bail due to rain.
The visitors were chasing 105 after skittling the hosts in 45.5 overs with CD hopeful Ajaz Patel claiming 6-18, including nine maidens from 17.5 overs.
Taradale were 26-1 when play was called after six overs.