One was fighting off a chest infection.
The other had a back so stiff he needed help just getting dressed.
But neither Chris Hartley nor Steve Magoffin was feeling any pain after steering Queensland to a tense three-wicket Sheffield Shield final win over Tasmania on day four at the Gabba on Monday.
A nerve-wracking finale was the last thing a fatigued Hartley needed after battling a virus from the second day’s play.
And Magoffin was at one stage contemplating withdrawing from the final after suffering chronic back spasms on the opening day.
However, Queensland’s odd couple again made a perfect match to steer the Bulls to Shield title No.7 – and first in six years – in a nail-biting finish against the defending champions.
Chasing 133 for victory, Queensland incredibly lost 4-0 to be reeling at 7-88.
But lanky quick Magoffin (26 not out) and vertically-challenged Hartley (19 not out) led the Bulls home with an unbroken 45-run stand.
Incredibly, it was the second time in the final the unlikely pair had clicked – man-of-the-match Hartley (111) and Magoffin (31) put on a 97-run first-innings stand that turned the game on its head.
“I had various tablets to get myself out there – I probably sounded like a Tictac pack running in (to bowl),” Magoffin laughed.
“I thought I was gone when I did it (back). I was at fine leg and couldn’t get up off the ground – I needed a hand to get out of bed the next day and get my trousers on.”
Ex-Bulls batsman and now physio Martin Love worked his magic on Magoffin but there was no quick fix for Hartley.
“After the first day, I pulled up pretty ordinary. I was just trying to keep a low profile until I had to walk out on the field,” he said.
“I am usually pretty healthy so, to get to the last game of the season, I was a bit cut I was a bit crook – but it doesn’t matter now.
“I don’t know if I have played a better game of cricket than that.”
Tasmania would have been forgiven for feeling a sense of deja vu – along with plenty of frustration – after the deadly-serious Hartley and easy-going Magoffin again emerged as the Bulls’ heroes.
“I think that (first innings stand) was the moment we felt the momentum come our way and knew it was our game to lose from there,” Bulls captain James Hopes said.
Queensland famously had to wait 68 years before finally savouring their first Shield title.
The Bulls’ patience had been tested again after making six of the past nine Shield deciders and coming away with just one title.
And for a moment on Monday, the Bulls were thinking they might have to wait a little longer for another Shield triumph after a stunning collapse.
Allrounders James Faulkner (3-27) and Luke Butterworth (2-38) both took two wickets in an over as Queensland sensationally lost 5-5.
“It was an amazing game of cricket of which I missed the last 40 minutes of because I was doing a crossword out back – I just couldn’t watch,” said Hopes, who took 5-61 to help rout Tasmania for 167 in their second innings earlier on Monday.
Tasmanian skipper Ricky Ponting added: “I think every player should be privileged to have been a part of that.”