New Zealand seam bowler Brett Randell has become the first player to take five wickets in five balls in first-class cricket.
Randell, who plays for Central Districts in New Zealand’s first-class competition, recorded the history making feat on day two of the Plunket Shield match against Northern Districts. He took a wicket with the last ball of the innings’ third over and then wickets with the first four balls of its fifth over as Northern Districts slumped from 4 without loss to 9 for five in Napier on Sunday.
The 30-year-old right arm seam bowler then also became the first player to take six wickets in eight balls in first-class cricket and finished the day with seven for 25 from 11 overs as Northern Districts were dismissed for just 82 and asked to follow-on after Central Districts had scored 373 in their first innings.
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While Randell is the first bowler in first-class cricket to take five in five, it has been achieved in T20 cricket by Ireland’s Curtis Campher playing for Munster Reds against North West Warriors in Ireland’s inter-provincial T20 trophy and Zimbabwe women’s all-rounder Kelis Ndhlovu also achieved the same feat for Zimbabwe Under 19s against Eagles Women in their domestic T20 tournament in 2024.
“I’m pretty blown away,” Randell said. “I had no idea that it was the first time that had happened in the world — it’s seriously cool. It was like a pinch-me moment. I was trying to stay level-headed and keep putting the ball in the same area and then after the actual hat-trick, just the same things – trying to put the ball in the same area.”
Randell has never played international cricket but has played 37 first-class matches, 54 one-day matches and 45 T20s for his district and has 103 first-class wickets at an average of 25.84.