The 21-year-old picked up impressive figures of 5-19 off his 4.5 overs just shy of his career-best haul of 6-19 taken against Mowbray in the 2014-15 season.

“It was a good performance I thought seeing as I didn’t think I had been bowling well in the pre-season,” Cullen said.

“It was good to get some wickets on the board early in the season.”

The former St Patrick’s College student bowled first change behind Shamrock’s opening pair of Matthew Battle and newcomer Jacob Kooran in the absence of strike bowler Jonathon Chapman who is two weeks away from a return from playing in England.

“I picked up one in every over that I bowled – during pre-season they didn’t feel like they were coming out very well but I came out Saturday and the week before and felt pretty good with how I was bowling and it was good to get some reward for that,” he said.

“I usually bowl first or second change and I feel that I can control the old ball better with some little medium pacers.

“I try to hit the deck hard and use a bit of variation and roll my fingers over the seam and those kind of things.”

Cullen said the new-look Westbury attack minus Chapman and the retired Richard Howe had been functioning well.

“We’ve had Jacob Kooran come in and bowling really well as an opening bowler with Jono being away.”