And though he hasn’t played locally in three years, he certainly left a mark.
Numurkah import and 2020-21 Lightfoot Medallist Michael Eckard was a brute force in the Haisman Shield during his six summers at the Blues, and though the South African was a smash hit at the Showgrounds, he took it up a notch or two on Sunday.
Eckard suited up at the iconic Brisbane Cricket Ground - otherwise known as The Gabba - in a Bulls Masters Country Cup exhibition.
Now stationed in Noosa, the former Blue padded up for Sunshine Coast Scorchers against Central Queensland Seamers in the final of a shortened format due to rain.
It was a day for ducks, so it was only fitting that DLS (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method) calculations came into play as Central Queensland batted first.
The Seamers made 4-67 off their allotted 10 overs, with Eckard snaring 1-15 as well as a catch before he grabbed the stick and faced the first ball.
Eckard looked poised for a big score after cranking three boundaries but was skittled on 17 off 13 as weather conditions continued to wreak havoc at The Gabba.
With seven overs played, the Scorchers were in the driver's seat at 45-4, requiring 23 runs off 18 balls for victory with six wickets in the shed.
Then, drama.
A revised DLS total eventually resulted in the Scorchers needing six runs off four balls to win in the eighth over, and after a wicket, a single and a pair of twos, the game was called a tie.
It may have not been the perfect day out at The Gabba, but the experience was undoubtedly a special one for Eckard.
The ex-Numurkah all-rounder returns to action in the Sunshine Coast Cricket Association first grade competition for Tewantin-Noosa, currently leading the league champion player charts with 694 runs and 26 wickets.
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