BITTERSWEET HAT-TRICK:
HIS history-making feat ended up a bittersweet achievement for Gurinder Sandhu after his brilliant individual effort was overshadowed by a One-Day Cup grand-final defeat.
The high-profile recruit, who lost his NSW contract and moved south to join Tasmania, took the first hat-trick by a Tigers bowler in 50-over cricket to wrap up Victoria’s innings at Junction Oval yesterday.
The crafty seamer finished with 7-56 — the best haul by a Tasmanian and the fourth best ever in the competition — including four wickets in the last over and three in the last three balls.
Sandhu started the last over by having Chris Tremain caught at deep mid-wicket off the second ball, and two deliveries later Matt Short (37) was caught at long-on by Alex Doolan.
Fawad Ahmed was cleaned bowled for a golden duck and, on the final delivery of the innings, former Tiger Andrew Fekete chipped a catch to midoff where George Bailey took the simple offering.
Unfortunately, his team- mates were unable to carry the momentum into the run chase, stuttering to 164 as the pitch gradually got slower and lower.
“It is always nice to do well personally but, at the end of the day, the team result is the bigger picture, losing the final is not a great feeling,” Sandhu said.
“Maybe in a few days I will think “it’s pretty special to do that” but at the moment the loss is what’s on my mind.
“It is good that we made it to the grand final, that’s a very good achievement and only two teams can do it at a time, but losing, that’s the feeling.”
Sandhu, who was left out of the initial squad only to replace the injured James Faulkner, did not play the first match of the tournament but finished as the equal highest wicket taker with 18 at an average of 16.6. He is now eager to continue the momentum rolling into the Sheffield Shield season if given the opportunity.
“I don’t think I have a point to prove, I have been successful at Shield level,” he said.
“Hopefully I get a run. Who knows what the Shield squad will be but it is always good to do well in any format.”