Nick Hird spent most of Friday night travelling around the region repairing powerlines damaged by thunderstorms.
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It was not an ideal lead-in to a game of cricket the next day.
![Nick Hird stands over Riverside one, just minutes after he completed his rout of Old Boys to ensure a big win for Bective East. Picture by Zac Lowe. Nick Hird stands over Riverside one, just minutes after he completed his rout of Old Boys to ensure a big win for Bective East. Picture by Zac Lowe.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ijfQKXbsEKgSKGW5xB5NiF/dbc4b2af-944f-410a-a1aa-051223ab3247.jpg/r0_228_2048_1379_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
And though this is not a superhero origin story, it's hard not to believe that the hours he put in working to restore power to the region didn't imbue the Essential Energy powerline worker's performance the next day with an additional spark.
"The last two nights were pretty hectic with the storms around town," Hird said.
"It kept us all busy. I was a little tired this morning, but I had a bit of water and it got me going again."
Opening the bowling for Bective East in the second innings of their match against Old Boys at Riverside 1, Hird swept through the batting order to the tune of 6-21.
It was, he said, the best he had bowled this year.
"I've only played about three games this year, with work and other commitments," Hird said.
"It's good to start the year with a good performance."
Coming off a first innings total of 9-192, driven by Ben Taylor (50), Archie McMaster (32), and captain Jye Paterson (29), Bective believed their bowling attack would be too much for Old Boys.
And, thanks to Hird, that proved to be the case. Old Boys were rolled for 89, in what Paterson said was Bective's best performance so far.
"That's the best game we've put together all year," he said.
"With bat, with ball, I think we only dropped one or two chances. All the bowlers bowled well ... it's very pleasing."
Hird, at 39 years old, has historically struggled with injuries throughout his career, but thinks his lack of availability this season has been a blessing in that regard.
The lessened strain on his body has left him feeling, physically, as good as he ever has.
And it shows in how he plays on the field, according to Paterson.
"No-one can get him away, he hits the bat hard, and he just gets the ball to do silly things early on," Paterson said.
"He changes our bowling attack completely, there's probably not a bowler in town that hits the bat harder."
It's a good sign for Hird, who, had circumstances been slightly different, might have been retired from cricket by now.
But the veteran is still chasing a Connolly Cup win with Quirindi after securing his maiden first grade premiership with Bective last season.
With Connolly Cup finals coming up and the men in green second on the ladder, Hird is a chance at raising both trophies. And what would that mean to him?
"Retirement," Hird said.
Though he would step away from representative and first grade cricket, it would not mark the end of Hird's association with cricket entirely.
Instead, he would take the opportunity to drop down into third or fourth grade when his sons are old enough and play with them.
"Hopefully I could play with them in the next couple of years, the next three years," Hird said.
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