It was the twin-spin attack of leggie GC Pretorius and Central Districts Stag Patel that caused North Otago batsmen all sorts of trouble.
"I saw my role as restricting and containing them so if I got a wicket it would have been a bonus," he said.
South African Pretorius took 6-39 from 12.5 overs, including four maidens as Patel stifled the batsmen at the other end with 11 wicket-less overs for as many runs, including seven maidens.
"GC bowled really well, putting the ball in right places although a leg spinner can get the odd one wrong."
The Colin Schaw-coached Bay now need an outright victory to bring the symbol of minor association cricket supremacy home because a draw will see it remain there and the weather forecast is good for the next two days.
Patel said it was a tough wicket with a greenish top but it was beginning to break and offer turn.
"It's hard to say how much it'll break up but ideally we'd like to get 200 or so to set up a good target," he said, loath "to bag" the groundsmen for preparing what he considered a decent strip in a drought-stricken area.
Patel felt the wicket dictated terms after they collapsed cheaply, which went a fair way to explain why North Otago got all their scalps from three bowlers while the Bay persevered successfully with predominantly two spinners.
The Bay players were mindful of what the cup meant to the province and intended to "do the right thing".
"The boys are pretty passionate about taking the trophy back because they've had a lot of support from back home so they aren't taking it too lightly."
Opener Lachie Kingan top scored for the cup holders with 37 runs and No5 Jeremy Smith posted 25 runs.
The two innings had a Smith versus Smith scenario unfolding in the two innings.
Jeremy got Jacob's wicket as a bowler and the latter got the former's scalp with a catch off a Pretorius delivery.
North Otago, chasing a historic first defence, won the toss and had the Bay padding up but only four batsmen got into double figures.
South African import and right-arm fast bowler Francois Mostert claimed figures of 4-65 from 13.4 overs, including a maiden, in the first innings as well as the scalps of Edmondson and Patel in the second dig.
Jeremy Smith claimed 3-21 from 10 overs, including four maidens, while fellow right-arm medium pacer Ben Cant emulated his figures, albeit bleeding 34 runs.
Host team manager Hamish McMurdo did not rule out an early finish to the game.
"It's all about who'll have more composure," McMurdo said, adding they had a lot of respect for the Bay.
No doubt North Otago were relieved to have snuck in with first-innings points by the skin of their teeth, something that would bring joy in the advent of a drawn affair.
"We planned to score a few more runs but it was only a difference of three runs but that';s cricket and we kept our composure a little.
"It all happened pretty quickly with so much cricket played in so little time," he said, adding North Otago skipper Jordan Horrell had a hard time getting the ball off the three bowlers as wickets kept tumbling.
McMurdo said the hosts were simply playing to their home-ground advantages "as any team should but we're respectful of Hawke's Bay who quality players".
