The right-arm medium pacer snared 4-11 from 10 overs at Camperdown Turf, playing a pivotal role in bringing Bookaar to its knees early in the game, to earn man of the match honours.

He claimed the wickets of Simon Baker, Eddie Lucas and Fraser Lucas, leaving the Pelicans reeling at 3-15, and collected the wicket of Sylas Merrett late in innings.

Balcombe, 32, said he “got lucky” with his bowling.

“To get Baker out, it wasn’t a special ball – I just got lucky I think,”  he said.

“I thought there might have been a little bit in the wicket to start with, and there was – the ball was moving around a little bit; that helped.”

Balcombe described Saturday’s five-wicket win as “surreal”, with the Rebels claiming their first division one premiership.

“It’s a huge achievement – I always thought we had it in us, it’s good to do it,” he said.