Curtis Campher became the third bowler to grab four wickets in four balls in a Twenty20 international as Ireland crushed the Netherlands by seven wickets in a World Cup Group A game.
Campher’s outstanding feat helped him take 4-26 as the Netherlands was bowled out for 106 after captain Pieter Seelaar won the toss and elected to bat first.
Ireland then cruised to 3-107 in 15.1 overs with Gareth Delany hitting 44 in 29 deliveries and Paul Stirling making an unbeaten 30 off 39 balls.
“First over didn’t go as planned but Bal (captain Andy Balbirnie) kept faith with me,” Campher said. “I didn’t feel the best, coming back from injury, just kept trying to bang the length.”
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Campher benefitted from the ICC’s decision to introduce the Decision Review System for the first time in a T20 World Cup, which allows teams to go for television referrals against two unsuccessful appeals in every game.
The right-arm fast bowler Campher opted for a TV review when Colin Ackermann (11) went for a pull shot. The batsman was adjudged not out by on-field Australian umpire Rod Tucker but replays suggested he gloved the ball to wicketkeeper Neil Rock.
Campher then had Ryan ten Doeschate lbw off the next delivery before Tucker again erred on the hat-trick ball and Scott Edwards was ruled lbw through a TV referral.
Campher equaled Rashid Khan of Afghanistan and Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga’s record of four-in-four when Roelof van der Merwe played the fast bowler back onto his stumps as Netherlands slipped to 6-51 in 9.5 overs.
Opening batsman Max O’Dowd scored a fighting 51 and Seelaar made 21 before seamer Mark Adair (3-9) claimed two wickets in the last over.
“One freak over changed the whole game around,” Seelaar said. “If we’d got to 150-160 it could have been a good game, but if you lose four in one over you’re always struggling.”
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Ireland and Sri Lanka are the two favourites expected to advance from the group into the Super 12 stage.
The World Cup started on Sunday when Scotland upset Bangladesh by six runs in a Group B game and co-host Oman thumped debutant Papua New Guinea by 10 wickets.
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