Doug Bollinger snared a unique piece of Sheffield Shield history with his hat-trick helping NSW turn their match against Victoria on its head during an action-packed day in Wagga Wagga.
Bollinger’s second Shield hat-trick – the first was seven years ago in Perth – underscored a day in which 18 wickets fell as the Blues raced to an unexpected 304-run lead after just two days.
Bollinger’s second first-class hat-trick was the 28th in Sheffield Shield history, with the colourful former Test paceman the first player to achieve the feat twice in the competition’s 123-year history.
Bollinger also snared a hat-trick in the domestic one-day competition in 2004.
NSW scored a modest 206 on day one, but spinners Steve O’Keefe (4-46) and Nathan Lyon (3-38) ripped though the Victorian top-order before Bollinger cleaned up the tail amid a near-flawless bowling performance from the home side.
Nic Maddinson, then proved that runs could be scored on the Robertson Oval pitch, hitting 93 at better than a run a ball as the Blues raced to 8-212 off just 44 overs.
Maddinson and Peter Nevill (59) shared a 134-run partnership for the fifth wicket, to all but take the match out of Victoria’s reach
“It was pretty good to get the hat-trick I must say,” Bollinger said..
“I was just trying to bowl my best for these guys and I was lucky enough to get another hat-trick, and it was great fun.
“They (hat-tricks) are all pretty special because they are pretty hard to get.
“To be honest I am just happy with how the ball is coming out and how I’m running in. I feel really good and that is the most pleasing part.
“I bowled well, but I think Sokky (O’Keefe) and Lyono (Lyon) bowled unbelievably well so it was a good all-round team effort.”
Bollinger had Peter Siddle caught at short leg and then clean bowled Chris Tremain, before Scott Boland was adjudged lbw to the hat-trick ball, with the former Test spearhead collecting figures of 3-16 from 12 overs.
First-drop Marcus Stoinis virtually played a lone hand for the Vics and was eventually last man out for 64 as the visitors lost their last four wickets for six runs.
