Triple hat trick comes up trumps

Five wickets from five balls.

It’s not often you can say someone had a perfect game in cricket, but Alex Brogan came close on Saturday for Wolves (Wanderers/Motueka) with a bowling performance for the ages.

Finishing with figures of 7-17 from 10 overs, the young bowler from Motueka was in red-hot form to set up a strong win for his team over Nelson College.

The other result from the fourth round of local premier grade cricket’s two-day competition will have to wait until this weekend, with Stoke/Nayland in a strong spot against Wakatu New World Nelson City after retiring on 340/5 after a giant 184-run innings by Jonty Raxworthy.

Wakatu finished the day 119/3, with opener Jordan Kelso still at the crease on 64, while Athletic College Old Boys and Waimea Toi Toi United’s game at Marsden Recreation was cancelled due to the state of the pitch after midweek rain.

The fireworks started for Alex in the 10th over as he picked up four back-to-back wickets after opening with two dot balls for a double hat trick maiden over.

Not finished, he opened up the 12th with another golden duck, making it five in a row.

He says with every delivery, the excitement grew and the field came in another step.

“By the fifth, everyone was around the bat.

“It was a bit weird because the same thing kept happening.”

With his last four wickets being clean bowled, he says the ball was “swinging quite a lot”.

“I’ve never had a hat trick before. . . the boys were just laughing.”

The performance saw Nelson College limp to 48 all-out from the first innings, with Wolves making 251-6 in response before declaring with another Raxworthy brother in the mix, this time Finn with a top score of 90 from just 63 balls, hitting eight fours and six sixes.

He was aided by opener Andrew Beatson (83 runs) and Michael Olsen (39 not out) as the Wolves batted like they had somewhere to be, taking just 40 overs to notch up their 250.

Now more than 200 runs behind, Nelson College had an improved performance but still succumbed before stumps on day one.

Alex says it’s going to be a bit weird having a Saturday off for the first time in a while.

“I won’t know what to do with myself.”

He wouldn’t pick up a wicket from the second innings, with Joseph O’Connor the best for the Wolves as he picked up three for 17 runs from nine overs.

The result culminates a strong week for the Wolves after they solidified their T20 finals spot with a top-of-the-table midweek clash against Stoke-Nayland.

Winning by 10 wickets, with Justin Hobbs 53 not out and Joseph O’Connor 44 not out, the Wolves will enter the January 31 final unbeaten.