Lenders leads special bowling efforts

Young Iona cricketer Kieran Lenders achieved a rare feat in division three Warracgul District cricket action at the weekend.

The 17-year-old cricketer, who only began his senior cricket career in December, had lived out the boyhood dream of many players last weekend by snaring a hat-trick to hand Iona a chance of victory against Western Park.

Not content with that feat, Lenders returned to the bowling crease this week to take a second hat-trick, inspiring the Swamp Tigers to their first win of the season.

Removing Kirk Dalziell, Raman Gautam and Josh Hickman, Lenders capped off an incredible game with figures of 6-48, helping Iona dismiss Western Park for 139, 14 runs short of the victory target.

Remarkably, each of Lenders’ hattricks were eerily similar in nature. In each hat trick the first victim was caught, the second trapped leg before wicket and the third was bowled.

Lenders is in for a good week at his school, St Paul’s Anglican Grammar, with his maths teacher one of his victims.

Iona were on course for three hat tricks in the Western Park innings, except Michael Taylor failed to gain his third wicket.

Lenders’ feat was one of three special efforts with the ball at the weekend.

Young Western Park cricketer Angus Emery snared 8/45 to help the Warriors to outright victory over Yarragon in division one, while GarfieldTynong’s Darren Vandenberge backed up his first innings exploits in division six.

Vandenberge finished with seven wickets in each innings as the Titans moved closer to securing top spot on the ladder with outright victory over Jindivick.