Curtis Campher joined an elite band of bowlers as Ireland opened their T20 World Cup campaign with a win.
The 22-year old took four wickets in as many balls, helping Ireland to a seven-wicket victory over the Netherlands in their opening Pool A game in Abu Dhabi.
Only Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga (v New Zealand, 2019) and Afghan spinner Rashid Khan (v Ireland, 2019_ had managed the feat in a T20 international before Campher.
Campher reduced the Dutch to 51-6, with Mark Adair cleaning up the tail end to bowl out their opposition for just 106.
Paul Stirling helped set about Ireland's business with purpose, ending the innings unbeaten on 30.
Gareth Delaney top scored with 44 before he was bowled by Netherlands captain, Pieter Seelaar.
💥FOUR IN FOUR! 💥
Campher has just taken Ackermann, ten Doeschate, Edwards and van der Merwe in first balls as #Ireland in control against #Netherlands.
Netherlands are now 51-6!
📺Watch on SS Cricket👉https://t.co/u2spY6Xa23
📱#IREvNED scorecard 👉 https://t.co/y2XzNlO2a9 pic.twitter.com/mP0LdNeFoX— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) October 18, 2021
After Stirling and Delaney put on a half-century partnership, it was up to Campher to help Ireland over the line with the bat after his heroics with the ball. Roelof van der Merwe.
“My heart was racing quite high but I just took a few deep breaths at the top of my run and made sure that I just managed my skills," he said, "Obviously after that over I didn’t really finish the last over as well as I wanted to but I’m learning, I’m young and I just want to do the best I can.”
Captain Andy Balbirnie was delighted with Campher's performance.
"He makes something happen. I said that when he played last year against England, he obviously burst onto the scene with a 50 and a couple of wickets," the skipper said.
"The first over didn’t go well for him, but we just broke it down to basics and said bowl it as straight as possible and he did just that.
“I’ve not been involved in too many games where an over like that has happened, so I’m just delighted for him.
“Having come back from a couple of annoying injuries this year, he’s missed quite a bit of cricket and he’s deserved that today.”
Next up for Ireland is a meeting with group favourites Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
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