Blake Ivery knew he needed a break the moment cricket began to lose its lustre.
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So the Tuggeranong Valley batsman walked away from the game two seasons ago, and it proved to be just what he needed.
Today the fire burns just as brightly as it did upon his return last year and he is proving it in the middle of the park.
Ivery scored a stellar 86 to steer Tuggeranong to 8dec-329 in their Cricket ACT Douglas Cup clash with North Canberra-Gungahlin at Chisholm Oval on Saturday.
Norths finished the day at 0-11 in reply after Papua New Guinean import Assad Vala led the way with the ball to claim 4-84.
But perhaps few are happier with how things sit at stumps than Marist College export Ivery.
"Blokes like Shane [Devoy], Barra [Michael Barrington-Smith] and Craig [Devoy] really helped me mature as a player and a person," Ivery said.
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"I have definitely rediscovered my love for the game, thanks to those guys for that.
"Sometimes cricket can just take over your life a little bit. Not necessarily in a bad way, but it is such a big commitment and I felt I needed to take a break and just focus on myself.
"I think it really helped just having that year off to reboot the system, and get ready to go out there and hit some runs and field.
"You've got to be really committed to love the game. If you're not, you find yourself in a bit of trouble."
Four of Tuggeranong's top five posted half-centuries in a superb start to their two-day clash with Craig Devoy (63) and Matt Rogers (66) adding 103 for the first wicket.
Wicketkeeper Tom Vane-Tempest posted 54 while Ivery cut loose to clear the rope three times.
"It took me a while to get my eye in, but once I got going I got a couple out of the middle," Ivery said.
"We set ourselves up perfectly today. Everyone chipped in to give us a solid total to put pressure on for next week."
Meanwhile, Blake Dean had a day to remember as Western District nearly took a first innings lead against Eastlake at Jamison Oval.
Dean claimed 3-9 with the ball as Eastlake fell for 154, and blasted 81 off 65 before stumps was called with Wests at 3-140.
Sam Taylor fell one stroke short of a century for Weston Creek Molonglo, dismissed for 94 in an imposing total of 7dec-348 with Ginninderra 1-14 at stumps.
ANU opener Nick Groenewegon was run out for 89 against Queanbeyan at ANU North Oval. Mark Solway claimed 5-70 as ANU were rolled for 250, with Queanbeyan 1-51 at stumps.
AT A GLANCE
Cricket ACT Douglas Cup round nine: WESTON CREEK MOLONGLO 7dec-348 (S Taylor 94, J Low-McMahon 68; B Thomas 3-108, J Willcox 2-70) v GINNINDERRA 1-14 (B Thomas 8*, J Misic 1*; D Bloomfield 1-2) at Stirling Oval.
TUGGERANONG VALLEY 8dec-329 (B Ivery 86, M Rogers 66; A Vala 4-84, A Tarpey 2-61) v NORTH CANBERRA-GUNGAHLIN 0-11 (G Forrest 10*, B Winkler 1*) at Chisholm Oval.
EASTLAKE 154 (S Richards 44, J Sutton 32; B Dean 3-9, A Taylor 2-13) v WESTERN DISTRICT 3-140 (B Dean 81, J Smith 30*; A Perera 2-5, J Wood 1-5) at Jamison Oval.
ANU 250 (N Groenewegon 89, A Lark 35; M Solway 5-79, O Cheatle 2-31) v QUEANBEYAN 1-51 (D Solway 22*, T Kellar 19*; L Evans 1-11) at ANU North Oval.