Centuries don't come much sweeter than what Nick Crowley achieved Saturday afternoon.
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Crowley was called up to make his first grade debut for Cavaliers against St Pat's in the Bathurst and Orange Inter District Cricket competition after a few of the regulars were unavailable for the two-day clash.
He came in following the lose of captain Matt Corben (30) at 4-61 and immediately got to work.
"It went very quickly. We were in a pretty tricky position there and I wasn't thinking about my own runs, I was just thinking about staying in," he said.
"The runs just came quite quickly and for a batsman like myself who is generally pretty slow it was a quick innings for me."
He went at more than a run-a-ball for his first 40 and next thing he knew, he was in striking distance of what would end up being his first ever century.
"I came in for drinks and the boys asked if I wanted to know what I was on," Crowley added.
"I said no, but after that I knew I was pretty close."
It wasn't a chanceless innings however, having been dropped in the 80s.
"I had been playing the spinner quite conservatively all day and I decided to take him on once," he said.
"I hit it straight down the throat of the bloke on the boundary, but got let off on that one."
That was all the luck he needed to crack triple digits as he was eventually dismissed for 109 off the bowling of Matt Fearnley.
Asked how it felt to make his maiden century while debuting for first grade, he said: "I can't really believe it to be honest. I was at the pub after and just couldn't believe what I had just done. I was pinching myself after doing it.
"When I got to the pub the boys were all fantastic and they're a really good bunch of fellas and it's a really good club to play for."
Cavaliers finished their innings on 8-311 at the end of play, with Harry Pearce (52) and Mitch Black (37 not out) also playing crucial roles.
Crowely hopes his contribution won't be for nought.
"It's going to be a tough total to chase down. St Pat's will have to bat very well to chase it down," he said.
"We'll come out firing next week and hopefully get a couple of wickets."
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