FACING the first ball of the day then squaring up to the last delivery before stumps - Trent Fitzpatrick has had plenty of good days with the bat but doing that last Saturday was a career first.
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Fitzpatrick opened the batting for ORC on day one of its Bathurst District Cricket Association two-dayer against St Pat's Old Boys Blue and when stumps was called, he was still at the crease.
He batted for an epic five hours, 16 minutes, during which time he made an unbeaten 125.
It was a mighty effort, especially given he was not keen to bat on the George Park 2 deck.
"That's the first time I've faced the first ball of the day and faced the last ball," Fitzpatrick said.
"We got sent in on that wicket, which personally I wasn't too keen to bat on, I would've liked to bowl. It was a bit of a hard slog the whole way.
"It was a very slow, very low wicket, basically I just played straight the whole way through the innings.
"It was on the same ground that Brad Molenkamp re-named a fortnight ago when he got nine wickets against us, maybe that's why I wasn't too keen to bat on it."
Saturday's century was the fourth of Fitzpatrick's BDCA senior career, the first having come in season 2013-14 when he hit 146 as the skipper of the Tigers' first grade side.
Fitzpatrick added another first grade ton, this time a 104, in 2015-16 against Blayney while last summer in second grade he notched up his highest score when hitting 152 against the Bushrangers.
His latest effort is the highest score in second grade so far this season and saw him join Garth Mangan (119), Phil Wright (114) and Jeff Roffe (110 not out) on the list of century makers.
In the main it has been the bowlers who have had the better of 2020-21 so far.
"That's expected in a way, the bowlers having their turn, last year we were in drought conditions and they were lightning quick outfields and wickets that were good for batting," Fitzpatrick said.
"This year we've had really wet weather and there's a bit more in it for bowlers, the outfields are slower and it's more difficult to score."
On Saturday Fitzpatrick opened the batting with Kyle Myers, who has returned to the Tigers after 13 years. He did not last long, falling for four, but ORC's second wicket stand was much more impressive.
Together Fitzpatrick and captain Tim Halloran (66) put on 151 runs. That laid the foundation for ORC to reach 6-245 at stumps, the opener bringing up his century with a leg glance off Nathan Maxwell's bowling which went for four.
"It was really good batting with Tim Halloran, we just clicked and built a really good partnership and after that Sam Debenham come and went pretty quick and then we had the kids come in.
"It was good batting with the kids, it reinvigorated me.
"I gave a tough chance, caught and bowled, when I was on about 60-70."
Fitzpatrick said he'll have to "wait and see" Halloran will declare on day two, or if he will get to bat on - weather permitting.
