Cricket: Eight wicket haul and hattrick not enough

Jack White with the ball he used to claim 8-16, including a hat-trick, last Saturday. Photo / Paul Taylor

A teenager from Waipukurau has claimed eight wickets during a high school cricket match in Hawke's Bay.

Jack White's haul included a hattrick from 8.3 overs, including four maidens, that bled only 16 runs for his Central Hawke's Bay College 1st XI team against Lindisfarne's 2nd XI in Hastings last Friday.

However, the Year 12 pupil's stellar effort was not enough to prevent the hosts from coming away with a one-wicket victory at The Farne.

"I got a bit of a clap after the game and I got the match ball, so I was quite stoked," says the 15-year-old whose feat was acknowledged at the school assembly yesterday with the presentation of the team's blue baggy for special achievements.

"The principal [Lance Christiansen] was going to talk to the woodwork teacher [Mike Fleming] to see if he could mount it," he says.

The 45-over game has a Twenty20 feel about it.

Lindisfarne won the toss and bowled out the visitors for 58 runs in 18 overs.

"It was a really good pitch," says White, adding Farne bowler Hamish Boyes took 5-13.

"I was the No5 batsman and he got me out for a golden duck with an lbw."

CHB batsman Jono Marshall top scored for his side with 17 runs at No4.

Teacher/coach Sam Miritana emphasised to his charges to "field their hearts out" in defending the paltry total.

They did with aplomb although Lindisfarne, who got to 59/9 in the 17th over, had to dig deep after being 20/4.

"They had a partnership of 29 before losing their fifth wicket," White explains.

The hosts needed nine runs for victory when he struck with three more wickets.

"They went into defensive mode and [eventually] got there. They were over the moon."

The left-arm opening seamer went for three runs in his first over before bowling a maiden.

"I then had a double-wicket maiden and followed it up with a triple-wicket maiden and then another triple-wicket maiden."

White also trains with the Colin Schaw-coached Ruahine Motors Ford Central Hawke's Bay premier men's side every week.

"I've played 10 games for them on Sundays," says the teenager, who plays for his school team.

However, when the Pay Excellence Hawke's Bay senior men's representative team were playing their Hawke Cup campaign, the premier men's one-day matches were moved to Sundays and he could play.

A former Bay age-group rep from under-13-15, White missed out on the under-17 side this summer because he was up against more experienced players.

Hoping to make the school 1st XV rugby squad this year, as a halfback or first five-eighth, he has ambitions of becoming PE teacher some day.

What about cricket aspirations?

"Oh, I want to take it as far as I can," White says.