Toby Roland-Jones had to extricate himself from a champagne-drenched melee after his hat-trick helped to deliver Middlesex's first County Championship title in 23 years.
The Londoners had not won the most coveted prize in English cricket, Specsavers Division One in its current guise, since the playing days of their current boss Angus Fraser.
It was appropriate therefore that a latter-day 'Fraser' should apply the finishing touches against Yorkshire at Lord's on Friday, the admirably consistent and ever threatening Roland-Jones bowling number 11 Ryan Sidebottom round his legs to prevent a White Rose hat-trick of titles and also stop Somerset winning the Championship for the first time in their 125-year history.
Roland-Jones recorded figures of six for 54, and a 10-wicket match haul, as Middlesex bowled Yorkshire out for 178 to win by 61 runs - having set them 240 to win in 40 overs - in front of their home crowd, and plenty of travelling support too.
As Middlesex held their nerve, there was transient disquiet in the west country - where Somerset, needing a draw at HQ to sneak the silverware, had a beef over the declaration bowling which set up Yorkshire's target.
Back in the capital, though, the home cheers drowned out any qualms voiced 150 miles away.
Roland-Jones paid for his heroics, with a bundle and a soaking at the hands of his fellow seamer Steven Finn.
"It was all bit of a blur at the end, and then I ended at the bottom of a pile-up," he said.
"I'm a bit beaten up from that!
"Steve Finn's first reaction was to take me down as if I was a streaker. Good on him!"
Roland-Jones acknowledged the unedifying spectacle of declaration bowling which allowed Middlesex to pull out at 359 for six on the back of Dawid Malan's 116 and Nick Gubbins' 93 - both hard-earned when Yorkshire's pedigree attack was not giving an inch.
"I feel for Somerset, I really do," he said.
"It's tough, but in this situation both teams wanted to find a way of winning on what's essentially been a pretty decent pitch throughout.
"I understand there might be some hard feelings down there, but all three teams have played some great cricket this year - and it couldn't get any closer."
Somerset veteran Marcus Trescothick was among those who could hardly bear to watch at Taunton, where his team had gone top with victory over Nottinghamshire the previous day.
He was "disappointed" to see the collusion necessary at Lord's, but added on Sky Sports: "Both teams wanted to win, and you can understand it - they're going to try and win at all costs."
Elsewhere on the last day of the season, Hampshire's bid for a second successive great escape from relegation failed.
They lost by six wickets to Durham at the Ageas Bowl, where Mark Stoneman (137) and Scott Borthwick (88) signed off in style for their home club before joining Surrey next season.
Source: PA
