Newcastle double hat-trick, team triple hat-trick rocks NSW Country Champs

It is one of the rarest feats in cricket. Check out how one country side pulled off a quite remarkable act that has to be seen to be believed.

Aaron Bills took a remarkable double hat-trick for Newcastle in the Regional Bash. Picture: Ben Churcher

Coming into his team’s opening Regional Bash game of the season against the Central Coast, Newcastle representative leg-spinner Aaron Bills had never taken a hat-trick in his life.

He’d come close a couple of times but never managed to crack the feat.

However he well and truly made up for it in the T20 clash at Newcastle’s No.1 Sportsground, taking a remarkable four wickets in a row to complete a double hat-trick, while Newcastle took a remarkable five wickets in consecutive balls – a team triple hat-trick – to kick off the NSW Country T20 tournament in style. Watch the incredible action here.

“It was very surprising, to be honest. The ball was coming out beautifully, so I was very happy,” said Bills.

Chasing 143 for victory, the Central Coast was in need of a big finish at 5-101 in the 17th over when the leggie pulled out his magic.

Aaron Bills (right), pictured with Mark Curry after being awarded the Mark Curry Medal as man of the match of the final of the 2023/24 NSW Country Cricket Championships. Photo: Alex Pichaloff

With his opponents looking to clear the fence, Bills showed why he earned Country NSW selection last season by skidding one through to knock over Joshua Abel’s stumps.

The very next ball Lochie Allison hit one straight to Daniel Chillingworth at mid-on to put Bills on a hat-trick.

If there were any nerves in the middle about trying to avoid or achieve the famous feat, Bills wasn’t feeling any of them.

“I wasn’t really thinking about anything in particular. I just wanted to bowl the ball again, a straight one. I bowl straight leggies. I don’t turn them,” he laughed.

The talented spinner did exactly that, trapping Scott Burkinshaw on the pads in front, with the umpire quick to put up the finger to give Bills his first-ever hat-trick.

While most players are satisfied with three in a row, Bills just kept rolling on, clean bowling Jai Nanavati for his fourth wicket in consecutive balls to claim an incredible double hat-trick.

“I just had the rhythm and was bowling good. It was just one of those games when you’re just on. Cricket’s one of those games: you’re on one game and then you’re off for the next one. It is what it is.”

The only thing stopping Bills was the end of the over. And while he might have taken four in four balls, Newcastle wasn’t done there, with skipper Nick Foster dismissing William Howell with the first delivery of the next over to make it a remarkable five in five and cap off a stunning finish to the match.

“I’d never taken a hat-trick before but to get four, and the team to get five in a row, is crazy,” said Bills, who finished with the figures of 5-14 from four overs.

It was the second time in a year that Bills had terrorised the Central Coast, taking three wickets in an over to help his side win last season’s County Championship final in January.

“I don’t know what it is. It all just came together,” he said.

The performance also comes a week after Greater Illawarra batter Jayden Zahra-Smith scored a stunning century off just 26 balls in a brilliant 28-minute knock.

Having taken 5-0 in no time, Newcastle bowled the Central Coast out for 101 to cruise through to the Northern Pool final against Central North.

It was even more emphatic in the afternoon game, with the Hunter team belting 155 from its 20 overs, highlighted by a brutal 82 from 49 balls from Jeff Goninan, before skittling its rivals for just 85 to chalk up the impressive 70-run win.

Fresh from his double hat-trick earlier in the day, Bills took another 3-9 to make it eight wickets for the day as Newcastle’s five-pronged spin attack of Bills, Nick Foster, AJ Isherwood, Daniel Chillingworth and Dylan Hunter ripped through the Central North batting line-up.

“We’ve got heaps of spin options,” said Bills.

“Spinners are really important for T20s, I believe. You can get through your overs quite quick, rush the batsmen a lot and get on top of the run rate. It seems to work for us.”

Newcastle, pictured after winning its fifth-consecutive Country Championship title last season, will be going for six in a row this year. Photo: Alex Pichaloff

While traditionally most sides would take one or two spinners into a game, Bills said he was thrilled to have such a variety of spin options in the squad.

“It makes the opposition guess: ‘This guy’s got fours over left or this guy’s got a couple left.’ All our spinners are really good, so it works well,” he said.

“For example Daniel Chillingworth, he’s a great bowler. He gets a lot of bounce on his leggies, whereas I get a lot of skid through, I get a lot of LBWs and bowl people out.”

After taking out the Northern Pool, Newcastle will meet Western in the T20 regional Bash final at the SCG on December 17.

The team will also kick of its quest to win an unprecedented sixth NSW Country Championship title in a row on Friday, when it takes on Central North in its opening game of the one-day competition.

“It’s a good start. The team’s stacking up nicely for the tournament, so hopefully we can bring our A-game,” said Bills.