But after Hamilton were bowled out for 255, Bay of Plenty batted for a whopping 196 overs to reach the 700 mark, with the holders using 10 bowlers in the innings. Brett Hampton (194) and Joe Carter (187) both toyed with double tons as the challengers beat a previous best total of 553.
It was just Bay of Plenty's fourth Hawke Cup win since their first challenge in 1932.
1-94
If Phoenix fans think their team's winless 2013 is bad, spare a thought for the British under-15s side Huncoat United, who up until last week had gone five years without a victory. During that time the Lancashire team lost 94 games, conceding 933 goals in the process, including a 25-0 thrashing.
However the team, who picked up their first competition point last season, finally got to enjoy the winning feeling with a 2-0 victory over Brierfield Celtic last weekend.
"We might be the worst team in Britain but we're also the happiest," manager Paul Chadwick told Metro.co.uk.
Despite the historic win, Huncoat United remain bottom of the table on three points having let in 104 goals in 12 games.
Dude, where's my car?
Veteran Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes had his car stolen from his own drive last week after he left its engine running to defrost the windscreen. The 38-year-old turned on the car then went back inside his Oldham home only to discover on his return that it had been nicked.
Police who are investigating the theft of the Chevrolet Captiva LTZ warned drivers against leaving cars at the mercy of thieves who have been dubbed "ice bandits". Leaving a vehicle unattended with its engine running could also mean it is not insured.
It wasn't long before Scholes was the butt of several jokes on Twitter.
"Paul Scholes has had his car stolen after leaving the engine running. He did try to tackle the thieves, but was very, very late," Lucy Barker tweeted.
Paul Walford said: "Paul Scholes is set to star in the remake of Dude where's my car #lol"
Pelican facts
When NBA team the New Orleans Hornets released their new name of the Pelicans, up there with the Sydney Swans as the least threatening team name, the press release last week included several interesting pelican facts to validate the decision.
"Revered as a skilled hunter and loyal protector, the brown pelican possesses a speed, precision and resourcefulness unmatched by others within its species. It represents the essential qualities embodied by any successful team."
Nice PR speak there claiming it's the fastest of all pelicans, which is like saying it's the fastest breed of cow.
New career
18-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps looks to have his eye on a new career after signing a sponsorship deal with Ping Golf.
Phelps has been working with renowned coach Hank Haney for an eight-episode series on the Golf Channel. While the swimmer-turned-golfer is not sure how far his new sport can take him, he's enjoying the ride so far.
