Aaron Bills normally likes bowling with the breeze.
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Saturday was different, but it seemed to work out alright for the 20-year-old.
The Cardiff-Boolaroo leg-spinner, facing a southerly at the new Pasterfield Sports Complex, claimed his best figures since joining the Newcastle District Cricket Association this season.
Almost unchanged from one end Bills, a Raymond Terrace-based carpenter, finished with 7-63 from 29.4 overs as Waratah-Mayfield were dismissed for 135.
"I was bowling against the wind, pretty heavily," Bills said.
"[At first] I just tried to bowl straight, but I was getting a lot of drift and dip and a lot of spin off the wicket as well at Pasterfield.
"The wicket played well. Pace wise it was a road, but it spun a lot."
The last-round encounter was the first time Pasterfield had been used in the top grade for 2018-19.
CBs relocated to the Cameron Park facility at the start of the summer, but delays meant lower grades only began playing on the surface just before Christmas.
If first impressions are anything to go by, Bills won't mind returning to the venue.
"It was great actually walking onto the new ground for the first time this year," Bills said.
"Especially because a few of the old boys came down and had a chat to us. It was good to hear from a few of the ex skippers."
Bills arrived at Cardiff-Boolaroo in 2018-19 along with older brother Shannon, who won a grand final for Belmont in 2008-09.
Last season the siblings won a premiership together in Maitland for Raymond Terrace, where he debuted as a 14-year-old.
In 2014-15 Bills went to Sydney and spent three-and-a-half campaigns travelling down to Northern Districts.
"It was a great experience," Bills said.
"I was able to play with a lot of great cricketers like Daniel Hughes, Harry Conway, Brad Haddin, Andrew Harriott and Chris Green."
Bills, who has career-best figures of 9-19 taken for Raymond Terrace against Kurri Weston at Jack Collins Oval in 2017-18, was pleased with the switch to Newcastle.
"It has been great playing in Newcastle, really enjoyable," he said.
Five of his dismissals on Saturday were caught, both of the opening batsman by wicketkeeper Lachlan Maher, while he also scored a bowled and leg before decision. Waratah lost 6-30 to close their innings.
CBs resume this weekend at 0-5 and while already out of finals contention can, depending on Wallsend's result, jump one rung on the competition to seventh position if they reel in Waratah's total.
"Hopefully we can finish the season with a win," Bills said.