Waitaki were keen to bat as they had an interschool game the following day in Timaru and were looking to prepare for this match. One of The Willows objectives is “to encourage players in secondary school first elevens to play with and against experienced players, many of whom are present or past first-class cricketers.”

Waitaki had their coach Francois Mostert and an old boy Jeremiah Shields (both North Otago Hawke Cup players) playing with the first eleven and The Willows had former representative cricketers David Kelly, Darin Cusack and David Bond in their team. These cricketers’ skills were in evidence with runs, fielding and catching. Mostert 55*, Shields 37, Kelly 51, and David Bond bowling ten overs and then taking the wicket keeping gloves. David Kelly made outfield catching look easy with an outstanding running catch. Darin made some exceptionally good saves in the field and kept up a running commentary.

The Willows had last year’s Matfen scholarship cricketer Rhys Petrie, who had made the trip from Otago Uni in Dunedin, to play against his old school and one of this year’s Matfen Scholars Henry Sail as part of the team. Rhys was able share information with Henry about his incredible year in England. This is an exceptional opportunity offered by The Willows Cricket Club to secondary school cricketers to experience life away from home whilst playing cricket.

Waitaki scored 242 with Daniel Vedder and Ben Stayt bowling tidy spells. The Willows responded and were past halfway five wickets down but the last five Willows wickets fell for 16 runs with four ducks and a Ben Paton hat trick (the first at The Willows for thirteen years).

Editor: Trevor is correct in saying the last hat-trick was thirteen years ago. The perpetrator was the earnest trundler Harry Simons who took the Arthur Pitcher’s XI to victory over The Willows in March 2006. His three victims, all bowled, were none other than club heroes: Cran Bull, Wally Stone and Tony Polson. Who would have believed it?