Daniel Murfet's second match for Greater Northern Raiders was worth the wait.
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Five years after his solitary previous appearance, Westbury's captain returned to further test himself in the Cricket Tasmania Premier League and was up to the challenge.
Facing North Hobart at the TCA Ground on Saturday, the experienced all-rounder took 2-22 off 10 overs including five maidens, held a catch off the bowling of Australian international quick Billy Stanlake and then scored 36 opening the batting, hitting six boundaries and facing 84 quality deliveries as no other batter reached double figures.
While the two-day match still hangs in the balance, Murfet was delighted to return to the stage.
"It's good to be involved in that standard of cricket and I did not feel out of my depth," he said.
"I was able to bowl some flat skidders into the stumps and got some lucky ones and it was pretty challenging with the bat because Alex Pyecroft was bowling superbly."
The 27-year-old played one game in the Raiders' first season filling in when Westbury had a bye and has since watched the team's progress with a vested interest.
"Westbury have always had a couple of guys in the program and wanted to support it. I think if we have guys playing Raiders that is only going to benefit Westbury.
"When I was coming through this was not about and you had to move to Hobart if you wanted to play a higher grade so it's great to see it having some success."
Murfet's previous CTPL experience is not limited to the Raiders having also played a season with Glenorchy after junior cricket in Perth and Longford before joining the Shamrocks.
"I was involved in the Tasmanian under-19 squad and had a season at Glenorchy. It was a really tough year because we did not have much success. I just had the one season so thought I would have another crack because I'd like to think I'm a better cricketer now than I was then and hope I can bring a mature head to help the younger players a bit."
Having also spent two-and-a-half enjoyable seasons playing for Illingworth St Mary's in England's Halifax Cricket League, Murfet was the sort of experienced campaigner Raiders coach Alistair Taylor was looking for this season.
"AT contacted me during pre-season asking if I was interested and Raiders is something I've always wanted to support.
"I'd already taken on the Westbury captaincy which I highly regard so I could not commit to the whole season so he asked about a particular format and two-day is more suited to my batting style. It's great that they have been that flexible to enable me to be part of the program and fulfil my commitment to Westbury as well."
Taylor was delighted with Murfet's return in the match against North Hobart which concludes on Saturday with Raiders five wickets down needing 151 more runs for a first-innings victory.
"He was exceptional with the bat," Taylor said. "He's very level-headed and plays the ball late. He's everything you want from an opening batter and brings a lot of value to this team."
Meanwhile the teammates were similarly vague in describing Murfet's distinctive bowling style.
"He bowls these offies that are hard to face," Taylor said. "Because he's a tall lad, it's a strange action but he bowled nicely, it tied up an end and he got some reward picking up a couple of wickets."
Murfet was somewhat more self-deprecating. "I roll my fingers across the ball so it goes flat into the stumps," he said. "I don't know if you can call that off-spin, but I'm happy to be called a spinner."
Raiders women will end a three-week layoff when they return to CTPL action on Sunday.
A washed-out weekend and a bye mean Darren Simmonds' team have not bowled a ball since a rain-affected double-header against North Hobart on October 15 when the teams grabbed a DLS win apiece.
The following week's fixtures with Clarence were both abandoned and the Kangaroos hop back into the equation as the opponents again on Sunday.
The washouts cost Raiders the ladder leadership as they sit second with three wins and a loss behind North Hobart (4-2).
Men, Round 5 (two-dayers)
Saturday
- 10.30am University of Tasmania 1-15 (6) v Clarence 10-289 (91), University Oval
- 10.30am Kingborough 4-370 (96) v Glenorchy, Kingston Twin Ovals
- 10.30am New Town 9-299 (96) v Lindisfarne, New Town Oval
- 10.30am North Hobart 10-202 (64.2) v GN Raiders 5-51 (29), TCA Ground
- Bye: SHSB
Women, Round 7, 9 (T20s)
Sunday
- 10.30am North Hobart v New Town, TCA Ground
- 10.30am Clarence v GN Raiders, Kangaroo Bay Oval
- 2pm Clarence v GN Raiders, Kangaroo Bay Oval