Mitchell Starc takes second hat-trick of game as he continues Ashes preparations
Steve Smith in the runs for New South Wales - but David Warner isn't!
Tuesday 7 November 2017 12:05, UK
Mitchell Starc continued his Ashes preparation by becoming the first bowler on Australian soil to take two hat-tricks in the same match.
The left-arm quick rattled through Western Australia's lower order for a second time on Tuesday, capping a 171-run Sheffield Shield victory for New South Wales in Sydney.
Australia's premier paceman had Jason Behrendorff caught behind and splayed David Moody's stumps with successive deliveries before Jonathan Wells nicked to first slip off the first ball of Starc's next over.
Starc also took the final three wickets in WA's first innings from as many deliveries as he finished with match figures of 7-97, looking in ominous form ahead of the first Test against England at the Gabba on November 23.
Starc becomes only the eighth bowler in history to record two hat-tricks in the same match and the last since Amin Lakhani, a slow left-armer playing for a Universities and Young Pakistan team against a touring India in Multan in October 1978.
Alongside Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon all featured for NSW and they were all in the wickets.
Hazlewood took six in the match with Cummins picking up four and Lyon three as the quartet continued their preparations for the Gabba.
Australia captain Steven Smith also hit form in the match, following up his 76 in the first innings with 127 in the second. However, David Warner failed twice, dismissed for five on both occasion.
Cameron Bancroft carried his bat for Western Australia in the first innings as he looked to keep up the pressure in the race for Ashes selection as Australia's wicketkeeper-batsman.
Bancroft hit 76 not out as WA crashed to 176 all out and followed that up with 86 in the second innings as he helped put on 179 for the first wicket alongside Shaun Marsh (91).
Elsewhere, Glenn Maxwell made back-to-back fifties as Victoria drew with South Australia at the MCG.
The 29-year-old followed up his 60 in the first innings with 64 in the second as he looks to retain the no. 6 position in the Australian batting line-up.
Peter Handscomb, who is expected to bat at no. 5 for Australia, hit scores of 43 and 58 in Melbourne.
For South Australia, Jake Lehmann won the man-of-the-match award after hitting scores of 103 and 93 in the match, giving the Aussie selectors a timely reminder of his talents.
