VSDCA Cricket 2018-19: Plenty Valley’s Daniel Heatley stuns Noble Park with hat-trick

Plenty Valley all-rounder Daniel Heatley produced an incredible display to put his team in a commanding position on Saturday.

Daniel Heatley helped himself to six wickets, including a hat-trick, on Saturday.

IT WAS going to take something special to disrupt VSDCA North East ladder-leader Noble Park.

Sitting at 2-62 and with two established batsmen at the crease, Plenty Valley was in the contest but wary of the batting depth which had seen the home side register scores of 259 and 311 in its other two-day matches this season.

Enter Daniel Heatley.

The medium-pacer produced a remarkable spell of swing bowling to dismantle Noble Park’s batting line-up.

Removing both set batsmen, including opposition skipper Luke Wintle (19), a hat-trick soon followed, with Robert Johnston, Shehan Perera and Paul Hill falling in consecutive balls.

But Heatley was not yet done as he single-handedly inspired a 6-12 collapse on Noble Park’s home turf at Pat Wright Senior Oval, finishing with a career-best haul of 6-19.

“Once again we didn’t get it quite right early with line and length … but Daniel is always challenging the batsmen,” Bats captain-coach James Dickinson said.

“He pitched the ball in the right areas and got movement in the air and off the wicket.”

Nilochana Perera was the only batsman to withstand the Bats’ wiles, finishing on 28 not out as his team was bowled out for 106.

Opening bowler Simon Black also impressed with 3-30.

Initially seeking to conserve wickets, Dickinson (40 not out) elevated himself to open the batting for Plenty Valley. It was Heatley again who provided the impetus to go for first-innings points on the opening day, bashing four boundaries and clearing the rope once in a quickfire 29 as the Bats went to stumps at 5-113.