ROSEMARY MAIR has had the best day of her List A career, with a hat-trick, double hat-trick, maiden six-wicket bag and a win to top it all off.

Heading into the match at Invercargill's Queens Park against the Otago Sparks with a one-day career best of 3/21 from 70 matches, Mair finished it with 6/41.

The popular term for four wickets in four balls, her double hat-trick was the first instance by anyone in the history of the competition., and just the second instance worldwide in all of Domestic women's List A rep cricket.

Moving the ball through the air and off the seam, Mair claimed Olivia Gain, PJ Watkins and Emma Black as her hat-trick victims, with Black's wicket providing her maiden five-wicket bag as well. 

The rare hat-trick (the first in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield since Holly Huddleston's ground-breaking feat for the Auckland Hearts earlier this year) was split across the last two balls of the 35th over and the first of the 37th.

Mair struck again next ball, bowling Sophie Oldershaw to complete not only the first hat-trick in any format in the Central Hinds' history (including first-class matches), but the first 'double' in the HBJ by anyone.

After a rain-reduced and interrupted chase, the Hinds went on to win by 14 runs (DLS) without losing a wicket, but for much of the morning things had been tracking well for the Sparks - after former Nelson rep, opener Saffron Wilson smashed past her previous career best to celebrate her maiden century, with 109 off just 97 balls.

Wilson shared a 91-run stand with captain Felicity Robertson and a 117-run stand with Polly Inglis (60 off 49) after Mair had struck early, twice.

The Sparks seemed in total control.

But after Thamysn Newton accounted for both Wilson and Inglis in quick succession, Mair took charge from the next over.

Captain Natalie Dodd's diving one-handed catch helped provide the first of her flurry of wickets that led to the Sparks suddenly being bowled out in the 38th over for 246.

With weather interruptions, the Hinds initially found themselves behind on the DLS in the chase, but made amends when they got back on.

Openers Dodd (42 not out) and Georgia Atkinson (43 not out) pushed the equation high enough to collect four points from the DLS win.

An unusual match, and the one-day win took the Hinds level with the Sparks on 10 points - both six points behind the leaders at the halfway mark of the tight competition.

2023/24 HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD

Round 5

Saturday, 9 December 2023

Queen's Park, Invercargill

CENTRAL HINDS beat OTAGO SPARKS by 14 runs [DLS]

Central Hinds : 4 points

Otago Sparks: 0 points

VIDEO SCORECARD

Selected milestones

Aniela Apperley : List A and Central Hinds debut

Saffron Wilson: maiden List A century

Rosemary Mair: maiden List A five-wicket bag (6/41)

Rosemary Mair : hat-trick

Rosemary Mair : double hat-trick (four wickets in four balls) - first bowler to achieve this in Hallyburton Johnstone Shield history

Rosemary Mair : first Central Hinds hat-trick (all formats)

Article added: Saturday 09 December 2023