By Marcus Uhe
Two weeks ago, Berwick finger spinner Lachlan Brown had never taken a hat-trick in his cricketing career.
Within the space of 13 days, he now has two on his resume.
With the spotlight glaring in the final of the Dandenong District Cricket Association T20 competition on Sunday 2 February, Brown grabbed his maiden hat-trick during the course of a sensational spell of 7/16 that set his team on their way for a convincing triumph at Shepley Oval.
Saturday’s circumstances in Turf 1 action against Beaconsfield were slightly toned down, but the unassuming left-armer still rose to the occasion.
Beginning with the final two balls of the 41st over, Brown had Beaconsfield wicketkeeper Michael Dunstan caught down the leg side by Jordan Cleland, before trapping new batter Daniel Maskiell dead in front on his first ball, to give him wickets in consecutive deliveries.
A maiden from Michael Wallace at the other end prevented Beaconsfield’s set better, Ashan Madushanka from acquiring the strike, meaning Jake Cutting, fresh to the crease and under immense pressure, would face pivotal hat-trick ball to open the 43rd over.
The scene was set – a packed house as the Bears hosted their annual Ladies Day function, all eyes on the contest as the only in Turf 1 to go ahead, and six catches huddling around the new batter, circling like vultures in the hopes of a nick and catching opportunity.
Despite the rarity of the feat, Berwick captain Jarrod Goodes said there was foreboding confidence in the middle.
“After him getting the other one, we all just knew he’d get,” Goodes said.
“It was that sense of ‘he’s going to do it again’.
“We crowded the bat and he bowled a dart, which wasn’t his best ball of the day either, but Cutting nicked it straight to the ‘keeper.
“It’s more disbelief than anything that a bloke who started bowling two years ago has now got two hat-tricks inside two weeks.
“We were saying in the group chat the other day that we can’t remember a day where he didn’t get a hat-trick, it feels like it will happen again next week.”
Setting aside the novelty of the feat, the triple strike played a critical role in swinging the momentum of the contest back into Berwick’s favour.
After winning the toss and electing to bowl on the basis of overcast conditions and a delayed start, Beaconsfield looked set to continue on their recent strong batting form that has seen it post its two highest scores of the summer in the last three rounds.
Openers Jack Steel (28) and Andrey Fernando (26) shared in a 39-run stand and having reached 3/85 at the Tea interval, with senior pair Madhushanka and Susantha Pradeep at the crease, Beaconsfield was in a promising position.
“We were thinking that if we could keep them to 200/220, we were going to be happy, from the 65 overs it was going to be in the day,” Goodes said.
“They had Madhushanka and Pradeep in and I said to our boys ‘This is the most important part of the game, straight after Tea.’
“We brought Corey Bevan back on, who’s been playing in the twos and hasn’t bowled for a month, but such are our depleted stocks with Toby (Wills) and (James) Trodd out, we brought Corey in to play a role.
“He came on and bowled six overs for 1/4 after tea and ‘Browny’ went for three or four runs as well in 10 overs.
“That was the crucial bit, we slowed them right down and it forced a couple of shots to be played, hence the wickets fell.”
Beaconsfield lost 5/7 between the 36th and 43rd, posting 164 from 61 overs at the crease as yet another middle order collapse crushed Beaconsfield’s progress.
Madhushanka watched the drama unfold from the other end, making a resolute 30, before being the ninth wicket to fall at 9/121.
Final wicket pair Nawid Mohammady and Charlie Johnson’s 43-run partnership was the biggest of the afternoon, with Mohammady making 35 to top score for the Tigers.
The partnership could prove vital in preserving the Tigers’ percentage, which is set to play a critical role in determining their fate in the context of relegation.
Berwick lost Jarryd Wills for eight in the four overs they batted before stumps, finishing play at 1/10, but Goodes said he was “stoked” to keep the Tigers to 164, particularly considering its bowling stocks.
Three of the Bears’ top five wicket takes in Trodd, Wills and Matthew Hague all missed the contest through injury and personal reasons, forcing Brown, Goodes, Bevan and Jarryd Wills to shoulder the majority of the overs.
Trodd and Hague will be fit for the first week of finals on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 March, having recovered from heel and calf injuries respectively, with Wills also set to return from an overseas trip in time.
Star number three Jake Hancock, meanwhile, will be “100 per cent” recovered from his minor hamstring strain when he takes to the crease next week.
Three one-day contests will round out Turf 1 next week after wet weather prevented play from taking place.
Narre South will host Dandenong West in another match with major relegation connotations, Hallam Kalora Park and Springvale South will play off for second place, while Buckley Rides will look to maintain top spot against North Dandenong.
