Plucky is suitable as well.
But despite Otago’s desperate attempt to claw their way back into Ford Trophy final on Saturday, Wellington emerged as deserving winners.
The Firebirds’ three-wicket win was full of the twists befitting a final that is being called one of the best.
The game took a sharp turn in 10th over. Former international Hamish Bennett has been in majestic form with the ball all season, and he took three wickets in four balls.
His new ball partner, former Albion club cricketer Ollie Newton, had already grabbed two early wickets.
The cumulative result was to leave the home side in a flap at 39 for five.
The situation quickly deteriorated when the vastly experienced Neil Broom nicked out for 25 — shortly after replacing Craig Cumming at the top of the Otago list for leading scorers in one-day cricket. Josh Finnie was run out moments later when he was caught lingering a tad too long at the non-striker’s end.
The University of Otago Oval fell silent as the crowd of 700 looked on in dismay.
Teams do not come back from 57 for seven, but the Volts engineered a quite remarkable fightback.
Michael Rippon (82) and Christi Viljoen led the revival with a wonderfully gutsy eighth-wicket partnership. The pair added 146 runs, breaking the previous highest New Zealand eighth-wicket stand of 121.
Viljoen was unbeaten on a career-high 87 and the Volts posted a respectable 234 for eight.
"To be honest I’m more proud than anything else," Volts coach Rob Walter said shortly after Newton whacked the winning runs.
"Today just epitomised how we’ve played all season. At 57 for seven in the final you are dead.
"But we found a way to get back into it. Those two boys played unbelievable well."
They did. And they gave Otago a total to bowl at — one that looked like it might be plenty when Wellington crashed to 75 for five.
The Firebirds’ innings mirrored Otago’s effort with the bat.
The competition’s leading scorer Andrew Fletcher departed early. He tried to leave a delivery from Jacob Duffy but ended up guiding it to slip.
The classy Devon Conway was caught hovering on the back foot and was bowled by Anaru Kitchen. Then Broom hit the stumps from side on to run out Michael Pollard, who had looked in good touch for his 33.
The belief grew exponentially when Rippon captured the prized wickets of former Otago players Michael Bracewell and Jimmy Neesham before they could make an impact with the bat.
One more quick wicket then, and the result could have been different.
But Malcolm Nofal and Peter Younghusband mounted an equally impressive partnership.
The pair put on 118 — a Wellington sixth-wicket record against Otago — and did the bulk of the work in the chase.
Duffy (three for 50) broke the partnership when he trapped Younghusband in front for 49. He also got Nofal for 73, when the left-hander clunked a lofted drive.
Nofal’s wicket came too late, though. Rookie wicketkeeper-batsman Lauchie Johns held his nerve with a valuable 24 not out to help seal the win.
"I was pretty stressed when we were batting. It was a hell of a final," Wellington captain Bennett said.
"Otago really turned up and fought hard. I think they can be really proud of their campaign."
Wellington picked up a winner’s cheque for $45,000 as well as the coveted trophy. Otago collected second prize of $15,000.
