A horrendous wicketkeeping blunder cost Peter Siddle a hat-trick on Friday as Victoria fought back on the second day of the Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia at the WACA Ground.

In reply to Victoria’s first innings total of 277, the Warriors were struggling at 5-150 at tea, still needing a further 128 runs to secure first innings points.

Travis Birt, dropped on Siddle’s hat-trick ball, was on 39, with Luke Ronchi on 10.

Siddle, who also made an unbeaten 42 with the bat to help boost the Bushrangers’ modest total, bowled his team back into the match by claiming the first three wickets to fall in the WA innings and should have had the fourth as well.

With the WA score on 78, Siddle (3-47) removed opener Liam Davis (37) and captain Adam Voges (0) in successive balls.

His hat-trick ball to new batsman Birt produced a regulation edge through to wicketkeeper Ryan Carters who, inexplicably, grassed the sitter just as Siddle started to celebrate.

A shattered Siddle spent the next minute or so standing at mid-off as he tried to regain his composure, before finishing the over.

Shaun Marsh’s horror season continued when he made just 21.