Before Sean Abbott turned up to the SCG on Tuesday it was not known if he had a future in cricket.
By Friday afternoon it was clear the long road stretching out in front of him was a bright one.
Abbott single-handedly turned NSW's Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland on its head as he claimed 6-14 in a venomous seven-over spell and led his team to an innings and 80 run win as the Bulls collapsed to be all out for 99.
Abbott's future remained clouded after he bowled the ball which felled and killed Phillip Hughes at the same ground two weeks ago.
His NSW teammate Nic Maddinson pulled out of this week's game as he grappled with the emotional toll and few outside the NSW dressing-room expected Abbott to take the ground.
While he was good in Queensland's first innings, claiming 2-53, his fourth day spell on Friday was truly memorable as he claimed man-of-the-match honours.
At one point he claimed 5-5 and was on a hat-trick when he dismissed Chris Hartley and Cameron Brimblecombe with successive balls.
When NSW were dismissed in the first session of the final day for 447, with an 179-run first innings lead, a result looked unlikely.
However, Abbott ripped through the Queensland batting order with a memorable spell as he harnessed reverse swing and lively pace.
NSW captain Moises Henriques said the dressing-room was unlike any he had ever seen after a win. There were no rowdy celebrations and back-slapping, only a sombre hush and a quiet pride in their achievements.
After play, the team shared a few drinks in the rooms with a group of past Blues greats who had been invited in for the occasion.
Henriques said there had never been a win like it in the history of NSW cricket.
"It's something new. I said after last week 'as if this ground needs any more history than it already has'. In a strange way it just adds to how remarkable our game is, how bizarre this game is," Henriques said.
"It's something extraordinary that happened on that cricket field. I don't have the words for it."
NSW coach Trevor Bayliss said Abbott had displayed the qualities of an international bowler with his performance and had no doubt he would soon add to his one ODI and three Twenty20 appearances for Australia.
"On this afternoon's performance, he'll play more for Australia, I'm sure," he said.
Ryan Carters and Kurtis Patterson both posted centuries for NSW to put their side in the lead before Abbott finished the job.
Opener Carters scored the biggest innings of the Sheffield Shield season with a patient 198.
Patterson, who was only promoted to the side once Nic Maddinson pulled out shrugged off the disappointment of not originally being named in the side to post 126.
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