Andrew Humphries grabs a hat-trick as Monash Tigers score a 54-run win over Prahran

Andrew Humphries claimed a hat-trick in his first First XI game since Round 1 as Monash Tigers scored a 54-run win over Prahran.

Andrew Humphries grabbed a hat-trick against Prahran. Picture: Stuart Milligan

All Monash Tigers captain Daniel Sartori was hoping for from the recalled Andrew Humphries on Saturday was “a few handy overs” of medium pace.

Instead the all-rounder delivered a matchwinning performance, claiming a hat-trick as Monash snapped a five-game losing streak with a 54-run win over Prahran at Toorak Park.

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Humphries claimed Arjun Dhull, Nathan McNally and Lachlan Bangs in consecutive balls to finish with figures of 5-41 from 10 overs to keep the Tigers’ Premier Cricket finals hopes alive.

@vicpremcricket Amazing scenes at Toorak Park with Andrew Humphries @MonashTigers taking a hat trick against @prahrancc pic.twitter.com/YPfb5oUQmE

— Michael Robinson (@ozrobbo) January 12, 2019

Tigers start the new year with a bang with a 4 win Tiger Day versus @prahrancc. Highlights included a hat trick to Andrew Humphries and a better than a run a ball half century to 16 year old Jake Fraser-McGurk and good all round team performances in all elevens
🐯🐯🐯🐯

— Monash Tigers (@MonashTigers) January 12, 2019

Dhull reached 62 before he hit a catch to Jake Fraser-McGurk in the covers, before he then trapped McNally lbw and bowled Bangs to complete the hat-trick.

Humphries also struck 24 at the top of the order in his first First XI game since Round 1, recalled after overcoming a right shoulder injury.

Sartori said Humphries’ overs were a bonus, called up for his batting after compiling 78 in the Second XI the game before the Christmas break.

“To perform like that with the ball and pick up five and take that hat-trick was phenomenal,” Sartori said.

“Because he hasn’t been able to bowl that much, he’s only just come back to bowling and throwing the last couple of games.

“We made the change for him as an opening batter and we were hoping to get a few handy overs out of him if needed.

“Hopefully that gives him the confidence to know he is good enough at that level and he can take his game further on from that.”

Humphries and Sartori (28) shared a 46-run stand for the first wicket, giving the middle-order duo of Fraser-McGurk and Sam Taylor (46) the freedom to play their shots.

The pair combined for a 115-run stand for the third wicket, Fraser-McGurk again underlining his immense potential with 86 from 78 balls to log his second half-century of the season as the Tigers tallied 9-253.

Prahran had reached 4-147 to have the contest well-placed before Humphries intervened, giving Monash its fourth win of the season as the True Blues were dismissed for 199.

The victory draws the Tigers to within one win of the top eight ahead of a vital Round 11 one-day clash against Frankston Peninsula at Central Reserve on Saturday.

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