Hat-trick highlights Brown's outstanding spell

BY SAM WORTHINGTON

It doesn't get much better for a bowler than taking 8-9 from 10 overs.

But it does for Julian Brown, the left-arm Collegians seamer, who tossed in a hat-trick for good measure on Saturday and still reckons he's hard done by.

"In the book it said 8-9 but we found out that four of those were actually leg-byes so it should be 8-5," Brown said.

"It was a pretty surreal day really."

Brown's outstanding spell left Upper Hutt in tatters after day one of their final round Hazlett Trophy match at Barton Oval.

The hosts are 43-9 in reply to competition leaders Collegians' first innings of 307, anchored by Deepak Joon's 129.

But Brown, 25, stole the show with career-best figures and landed the bowler's ultimate prize.

"It was swinging late and I took my first hat-trick which I was pretty excited about," he said.

"It was stretched over two overs; it was the fifth and sixth balls of one over and then the first ball of my next over. Lbw, caught in close and then bowled. It was good not having to rely on an lbw or something."

Brown is the leading Hazlett wicket-taker with 49, his latest haul nudging him ahead of team-mate Clinton Butler.

In the Pearce Cup, finalists Eastern Suburbs and Karori again dominated their games. Easts made good use of the newly renovated Kilbirnie Park No 1 wicket, declaring at 360-7 which was led by Niranjan Naguleswaran's unbeaten 103.

Taita are 62-0 in reply.

Karori confirmed last-placed University's stay in the Pearce Cup will be shortlived.

The students are in all sorts of trouble at 32-6 in reply to Karori's 412-8 (Chris Spring 129) and afterwards University stalwart Colin Owens announced his retirement after 20 seasons in senior cricket.

Hutt District medium pacer David Twigg took 7-87 against North City (279) with Ben Jansen making a patient 86.

In reply Hutt are 37-2.

Jesse Ryder (44) top scored for Naenae Old Boys (128) who just managed first innings points against Onslow (121 and 79-2).

Elsewhere in the Hazlett Trophy, second-placed Petone-Riverside all but booked their spot in the final, posting 329-9 and knocking the top off Karori B's batting (53-4).

Third-placed Johnsonville (191 and 2-0) hold the upper hand over bottom side Wellington College (112).

South African Barry Rhodes was the star for Johnsonville, returning a fine double of 75 and 5-26.

Taita B (202) are in command against Norths B (82) with the evergreen David Little taking 5-20.

In the women's competition, Onslow chased down Collegians' 106 for the loss of just four wickets while Hutt (179) beat Johnsonville (143).

- © Fairfax NZ News