Patches win matches

PATCHES WIN MATCHES

Adam Patchell made sure his 50th Moonee Valley game was a memorable one - by taking a  hat-trick!
Playing at home in the Fourths for the October 16 fixture, Patch and young Ethan Coombe had done the early damage to have South Yarra a shaky 5/50.
Patch then bowled their No. 3 bat and the Yarras advanced to 61 before Patch snared a plumb LBW with the final ball of his seventh over.
The Yarras advanced their score to 66 in the next over before our Patch was back on. His first ball was well caught by Mick Bannister at silly mid-off.
The hat-trick ball was full and fast, and the umpire had no problem in adjudicating it LBW when he ruled the batsman didn't play a shot. The incoming batsman avoided becoming the fourth wicket in a row when he kept out a yorker - but that was the only one he got bat to, as Patch rearranged the stumps next ball and South Yarra was all out for 66 in 27 overs, having lost its last four wickets for five runs.
Patch finished with an incredible 6/19 off 7.3 overs, while Ethan Coombe was equally impressive with 3/6 off six overs, including five maidens.
The hat-trick was Patch's first in half a lifetime of cricket, although he's been there often enough without nailing the third wicket.
Moonee Valley knocked over the South Yarra total five wickets down, to complete an emphatic win to help Patch celebrate his 50th game.
Adam Patchell's hat-trick was just the 21st by a Moonee Valley senior player in our 45-year history. The most recent hat-trick was from Peter O'Kane in the Thirds in 2013/14.