CURTIS Campher took a remarkable four wickets in four balls – a helmet-trick – to lead Ireland to a seven-wicket victory over the Netherlands in the T20 World Cup.
The seamer reduced the Netherlands from 51-2 to 51-6 in the 10th over before they were bowled out for 106 off the final ball of the innings in Abu Dhabi.
Campher is only the third man to claim a helmet-trick – in T20 internationals.
He then hit the winning runs as Ireland triumphed with 4.5 overs to spare.
Sri Lanka beat Namibia by seven wickets later yesterday at the same venue to move top of Group A on net run-rate.
Ireland, who play Sri Lanka tomorrow, are second, with the first two teams in each group qualifying for the Super12 stage that begins on Saturday.
The Netherlands made a poor start to their innings, with opener Ben Cooper run-out for a duck off the third ball after a mix-up with Max O’Dowd.
Bas de Leede was then bowled by Josh Little, playing an ill-advised ramp shot, but the Dutch did recover to reach 50-2 off nine overs before Campher ripped through them in his second over.
Here is how Campher’s historic over unfolded:
9.2 overs: Colin Ackermann chases a short ball down the leg side. He is given not out and a wide but Ireland successfully overturn the decision as UltraEdge shows the ball grazed the glove.
9.3 overs: Ryan ten Doeschate is lbw to a full delivery.
9.4 overs: Scott Edwards is pinned in front of the stumps by another quick, full ball but not given out. Ireland review again and it is overturned, giving Campher his hat-trick.
9.5 overs: Roelof van der Merwe flashes at a wider delivery and deflects the ball off the inside edge onto the stumps, sparking delirious celebrations by the Ireland players.
O’Dowd went on to hit 51 off 47 balls, but the Netherlands lost their last three wickets for one run as Mark Adair finished with 3-9.
Opener Paul Stirling made an unbeaten 30 off 39 balls and Gareth Delany hit 44 off 29 to ensure Ireland were well in control of the chase before Campher tapped a single to complete victory
Curtis Campher was playing only his fifth T20 international for Ireland
All-rounder Campher, 22, was born in South Africa but has an Irish passport and qualified for Ireland through his grandmother.
The former South Africa Under-19 player was brought into the Ireland set-up by former wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien, who played against him in 2018 when Ireland faced a South Africa provincial XI.
Campher made his Ireland debut in a one-day international loss to England in 2020, top-scoring with 59 not out, before making his T20 debut in defeat by Zimbabwe in August.
“It’s just been good to be out there again because I’ve struggled with injuries lately,” said Campher.
“I wasn’t feeling great out there with the ball but (captain) Andrew Balbirnie just told me to crack the game open and thankfully I did.”
Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan was the first player to take a helmet-trick in T20 internationals, against Ireland in February 2019, while former Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga did so against New Zealand in September 2019.
Germany’s Anuradha Doddaballapur became the first woman to take a helmet-trick in T20 internationals against Austria in August 2020.
Malinga is the only player to achieve the feat in ODIs, against South Africa at the 2007 50-over World Cup, while no-one has done it in Test cricket.
Campher is the first Ireland player to take a helmet-trick in T20 internationals.
He is also only the second bowler to do so at the Men’s T20 World Cup after Australia’s Brett Lee took the first T20 international hat-trick against Bangladesh at the inaugural tournament in 2007.
(BBC Sport)
