Napier: Central Districts fast bowler Brett Randell etched his name into cricket history on Sunday after becoming the first bowler in first-class cricket to claim five wickets in five consecutive balls, producing a sensational spell during a Plunket Shield match against Northern Districts in Napier.
Randell delivered a devastating burst on day two as Northern Districts collapsed dramatically from 4 without loss to 9 for 5 in the space of just five deliveries.
The remarkable sequence began with the final ball of Randell’s second over when he dismissed opener Henry Cooper with a late-swinging delivery that crashed into the stumps after the batter shouldered arms.
The carnage continued in his next over. Bowling around the wicket, Randell cleaned up Jeet Raval with the first ball before trapping Joe Carter caught behind to complete a hat-trick. He then forced Robert O’Donnell to edge an outswinger to the slips, where Curtis Heaphy held the catch.
Randell’s fifth wicket in five balls came when Kristian Clarke attempted to chase a wide delivery, only to get a faint inside edge that ricocheted back onto the stumps, dislodging the leg bail. At that moment, Randell’s astonishing figures read 2.4 overs, 1 maiden, 2 runs, 5 wickets.
The pacer nearly added a sixth wicket in six balls, but Ben Pomare survived the next delivery. Nevertheless, the historic feat had already been achieved.
Speaking after the match, Randell admitted he was overwhelmed by the moment.
“I’m pretty blown away. It was like a pinch-me moment,” he said. “I was just trying to stay level-headed and keep putting the ball in the same area. After the hat-trick, I just stuck to our plan and kept bowling the same delivery.”
“I had no idea it was the first time five wickets in five balls had happened in first-class cricket. It’s seriously cool. I don’t really have words at the moment,” he added.
Randell’s incredible spell did not stop there. The fast bowler went on to dismiss Pomare and Scott Kuggeleijn to complete a stunning seven-wicket haul in just 3.5 overs. He eventually finished with career-best figures of 7 for 25 from 11 overs.
Northern Districts were bowled out for 82 and forced to follow on after Central Districts had earlier posted 373 in their first innings.
Interestingly, Randell might not have played had several senior bowlers been available.
New Zealand internationals Ajaz Patel and Blair Tickner were ruled out due to injuries, while Tyler Annand and Joey Field were also unavailable.
While Randell is the first to achieve five wickets in five balls in first-class cricket, the feat has previously occurred in T20 cricket. Curtis Campher achieved it for Munster Reds in the Inter-Provincial T20 Trophy in 2021, while Zimbabwe youngster Kelis Ndhlovu repeated the feat in a domestic women’s T20 competition in 2024.
Randell’s extraordinary burst now stands as one of the most remarkable bowling spells ever witnessed in first-class cricket.
Source: ESPN, Sportstar
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