Otago seamer Travis Muller gave his celebration a full flourish.
He had just swung away a boundary to clinch a tense three-wicket T20 win against Auckland at Molyneux Park in Alexandra.
To understand the moment better, you need to wind the clock back to Thursday.
The Volts were utterly destroyed. They were bowled out for a record low of 47 and Wellington won by nine wickets.
With just one prior win from all three formats this season, the Volts were desperate for a positive result and they got it.
Muller took three for 33 and played a critical role with the bat. He made 17 not out and combined in an unbroken stand of 23 with rookie Ollie White (22 not out) at the death to seal the win.
Volts captain Dean Foxcroft made a meaty contribution as well. His knock of 51 provided the framework for the Volts' breakthrough win, and Hamish Rutherford looked like a younger version of himself, swatting a rapid 32 at the top.
The Volts produced a tidy effort in the field to restrict Auckland to 151 for nine.
Muller hit the winning runs with two balls remaining.
Volts seamer Jacob Duffy got collared early. Sean Solia crunched him for six and followed up with a boundary.
But the Volts snaffled the wicket of veteran opener Martin Guptill for 11, and Solia’s bright innings of 20 came to an abrupt end when Max Chu claimed a good two-handed take behind the stumps.
Dale Phillips set the standard in the field.
He is an exceptional fielder and pulled off a stunning catch later in the innings to remove Robbie O’Donnell for 35.
He must have made 30 or 40m and then had to dive to his left to intercept the ball inches from the grass.
The Volts took a firmer grip on the game when Ben Lockrose bowled Cole Briggs for 15.
Otago seized the opportunity to bring Duffy back on in search of another. The punt came off. Cameron Fletcher sliced a shot to Llew Johnson at backward point.
That wicket secured the Volts valuable time.
Auckland were forced to consolidate and taper back the ambition for a period.
The O’Donnell brothers Robbie and Will looked to step it up in the 14th over. Will lofted a Jake Gibson delivery down the ground for six, but clonked the last ball of the over to Duffy, who made a nice catch running forward.
Gibson picked up back-to- back wickets in the 18th over to finish with three for 26.
Auckland’s total looked a little light.
Rutherford stroked five fours and six in a sparkling innings.
But the wicket column kept pace. The Volts found themselves four down for 47 in an innings a little too reminiscent of the capitulation against Wellington.
The load fell on Foxcroft and Johnson (21) to steady the wobbles. The pair put on 57 to move Otago into a winning position.
Auckland
S Solia c Chu b Muller 20 (13)
M Guptill c Phillips b Hazeldine 7 (8)
C Briggs b Lockrose 15 (15)
R O'Donnell c Phillips b Muller 35 (38)
C Fletcher c Johnson b Duffy 1 (3)
W O’Donnell c Duffy b Gibson 14 (13)
R Harrison c Johnson b Gibson 18 (10)
D Ferns b Muller 12 (8)
L Delport c Duffy b Gibson 0 (1)
B Lister not out 16 (10)
N Perera not out 1 (1)
Extras (4b, 2lb, 6w) 12
Total (9 wkts, 20 overs) 151 (120)
Fall: 1-26, 2-43, 3-70, 4-73, 5-97, 6-121, 7-126, 8-126, 9-147.
Bowling: A Hazeldine 4-0-20-1 (2w), J Duffy 4-0-44-1 (2w), T Muller 4-0-33-3 (1w), B Lockrose 4-0-22-1, J Gibson 4-0-26-3 (1w).
Otago
H Rutherford c Harrison b Solia 32 (18)
J Gibson c Delport b Ferns 0 (2)
D Foxcroft c Guptill b Lister 51 (39)
M Chu c Fletcher b Delport 1 (2)
D Phillips c Guptill b Delport 0 (1)
L Johnson c Ferns b Delport 21 (22)
O White not out 22 (20)
B Lockrose c O'Donnell b Ferns 6 (5)
T Muller not out 17 (11)
Extras (w 3, nb 1) 4
Total (7 wkts, 19.4 overs) 154 (119)
Fall: 1-3, 2-45, 3-47, 4-47, 5-104, 6-112, 7-131.
Bowling: D Ferns 4-0-28-2 (1nb), B Lister 4-0-39-1 (1w), S Solia 3-0-25-1 (1w), L Delport 4-0-16-3, N Perera 3.4-0-32-0 (1w), R Harrison 1-0-13-0.
Result: Otago won by three wickets.
