Michael Mason was eager to credit his State Central Stags team-mates after his double celebration.
Within hours of his recall for the BLACKCAPS in their National Bank Series games against the West Indies, he recorded figures of one for 39 off 10 overs as CD made their third successive State Shield final.
BLACKCAPS coach John Bracewell had called Mason ‘currently the best line and length bowler in the country’ and saw him as an opening partner to Shane Bond.
Mason said: “I received the phone call last night and was, as they say, pleasantly surprised. He swings it and I swing it and it’s a good complement.
“My job will be to double up with Bond at the other end. I swing the ball and he swings it too, so all I’ve got to do is play my normal game.
“It’s great to back in the team and great to be playing Canterbury in the final.”
The 18-run win over Otago at Napier was completed after another fine bowling performance from Mason and his Central Districts team-mates.
“We’ve been bowling well all season as a unit, we’ve got all the guys up in the top 10 this season,” he said.
“I think we play as a unit and we’ve done well with it this season. Not just the bowlers, but the batters as well. We just do what we’ve got to do and nobody is trying to be a hero.”
And he admitted Canterbury were his preferred opposition.
“Look, if there’s one side we’d pick to play in the final it’d be Canterbury as we’ve had it over them in recent finals. And I’m sure if they’d one team Canterbury wouldn’t pick to play it’d be us.
“We’ll go there and if we win, great but if we lose and put up a good effort, then that’s fine.”
