VSDCA: Cassidy’s hat-trick highlights Subbies’ return to red-ball

Brighton skipper Peter Cassidy sent teammates into raptures when he dismissed an opposition star on the weekend but it wasn’t because he had taken a hat-trick. Here’s what happened.

In Peter Cassidy’s mind, there was no reason to be nervous as he trundled in on a hat-trick against Ivanhoe on Saturday.

Mainly because the Brighton skipper didn’t know he was on one in the first place.

After trapping opposing captain Troy Haynes leg before on the final ball of his fourth over, then bowling Angus Drysdale on the first ball of his fifth, Cassidy was unaware that his first ball to Alex Pannell was another attempt at a maiden hat-trick.

Despite being painfully close to the accomplishment on a treble of occasions before, the “greedy’ team-man had a different goal in mind.

“Because I had the one the over before on the last ball and then the first one of the new over, I just didn’t realise that it had carried over,” he said.

“I walked back to the top of my mark (afterwards) and the umpire said: ‘you realise that’s a hat-trick, right?’.

“I have had three (hat-tricks) dropped so that was the first one I had ever taken; I didn’t really think about the hat-trick at all until after the game.

“I was so keen to get as many wickets as we could, we got a bit greedy and went for the throat overnight, to get four wickets (before stumps), I was stoked.”

A hat-trick over two overs for @BCC1842 skipper Pete Cassidy today. He took 5-22 in the first dig and has 4-8 overnight against Ivanhoe. All in a days work!@SubbiesCricket pic.twitter.com/DvQF9f50n7

— Tyler Lewis (@tmlew_) January 14, 2023

Unaware that he was on a hat-trick, Cassidy delivered an unplayable delivery, kissing the top of the stumps to send his Tonners teammates into raptures in the penultimate over of the day.

The crafty seamer admits not knowing he was on a hat-trick likely contributed to the calibre of delivery, while revealing the celebration – to what he and his teammates thought was two in a row – was due to some by-play earlier on in the day.

“Probably a little bit, I was just so in the moment,” he said.

“He (Pannell) is their best player, the one I got out on the hat-trick ball, so I was just focused on trying to bowl him, to be honest.

“So yeah, it probably did work in our favour that I didn’t know.

“There was a little bit of chat in the first innings with him and a few of our boys, so there was a little bit of spice in it.

“It was handy to get him first ball, that was more what the carry on was about.”

The hat-trick was the cherry on top of what was a perfect day for Cassidy – who has 4-8 overnight – both as an individual and as captain.

His 5-22 in the first innings saw Ivanhoe dismissed for 93, before his side made a quick-fire 3-106 in reply.

The Saints are currently 4-18 overnight with a lead of five runs.

Peter Cassidy bowling for Brighton. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Elsewhere, a pair of centuries hurried Caulfield to 6-360.

Opener David Tantsis-Hall (114 from 119 balls) and skipper Jacob Thorne (135 from 154) relished in the return to red-ball cricket, blasting centuries against Coburg.

Despite both batters respectively posting big scores, the pair only combined for 80 in the middle, as Tantsis-Hall was dismissed with 114 of his sides 168 at the time.

Ormond recovered from being 3-14 to set Moorabbin 9-280 next week courtesy of some late-order runs.

Ben Robinson (61) was the only batter inside the top four to get past 2, while Senin Seymour (77 not out) and Brendan Barry (49) propelled the visitor’s total with vital knocks.

Port Melbourne, meanwhile, toiled away to post 10-152 against Oakleigh.

Gloveman Jake Rothnie fought hard during his 106-ball stay to top score with 42, while Oscar Craig also added 32.

Anthony Howes (2-20 off 12), Blake Pearson (2-21 off 10), Geoff Latham (2-20 off 12) and Alex Jones (2-27 from 17.4) all took multiple wickets for the home side.

Malvern (1-6) require a further 202 for victory when play resumes this Saturday against Strathmore.

Unfortunately for the Roosters, their pursuit of Strathmore’s 207 will be without opener Luke Schumann, who was dismissed before the close of play.