HOW often do two once-in-a-lifetime events on the cricket field both happen on the same day?
The unbelievable happened twice on Saturday at Barnard Park in Busselton, when a bowler took a hat-trick off the very first three balls of a team innings - and then a batsman hit a monster 120m-long six which crashed on to the roof of a car travelling along Geographe Bay Road.
YOBS left-arm fast bowler Matt Connaughton became the owner of a unique "golden hat-trick" - wickets from the first three balls bowled by his team - when he dismissed Dunsborough batsmen Ben Danaher (lbw), Phil Watts (bowled) and Alex Cooke (caught by Troyden Thorp at second slip, trying to withdraw his bat) to have Dunsborough 3-0 after just three deliveries in their A-Grade game at Barnard Park.
It is believed to be the first time a hat-trick has been taken off the opening three balls of an innings in A-Grade cricket in the 110-year history of the Busselton-Margaret River competition.
Then later in the same innings, Dunsborough tail-end batsman Billy McGowan smashed one of the longest sixes in the history of South West cricket. The massive hit sailed 120m: over the boundary, over the fence, over the nets, and over the trees, and crashed on to the roof of the only car that was driving along Geographe Bay Road at the time.
The frightened driver of the vehicle stopped, turned his car around, and drove back to the ground, but then departed without leaving his details. It is not known if he will be filing an insurance claim against the cricket association for the damage to his car.
YOBS went on to win the game in an exciting finish at 6.45pm, as Dunsborough batsmen Michael Vogelsanger (22 not out) and Richard Norrish (19 not out) only failed by 4 runs to deny YOBS a valuable 2 bonus points for their win.
YOBS batted first after winning the toss and were in trouble at 7-96 before Colin Harris (39) and Ben Payne (33 not out) bolstered the total to 176 as YOBS were dismissed on the dot of 50 overs.
Richard Norrish, Brodie Gould, Billy McGowan and Hugh Mugford all impressed with the ball for Dunsborough.
Dunsborough then made a strong comeback after being 3-0 and finished on 9-137 after 50 overs.
The other A-Grade game, played on a perfect wicket at Bovell Park, saw St Marys account for Margaret River Hawks in a low-scoring affair.
Hawks were dismissed for just 78, with Aaron Smith (4-9) and Rob Blake (3-28) and Ben Mattock (2- 19) the major wicket-takers. The small total included 21 wides.
Saints lost five wickets in the chase, which featured excellent bowling by Kavy de Silva and Leigh Westcott for Hawks.
The result means that St Marys have taken the lead on the A-Grade ladder in the battle for the Yates Shield for the first time this season.
In B-Grade cricket on Saturday, St Marys scored a close 13-run win over Dunsborough, 139 runs to 126 runs, with Kevin Rice hitting an unbeaten 48 for the victors and sharing a match-winning 76-run stand for the eighth wicket with Justin Gower.
Vasse handed a rare defeat to ladder leaders Margaret River Hawks in the other B-Grade game, winning by three wickets after bowling out Hawks for 132.
In C-Grade cricket, YOBS defeated Vasse by two wickets, Dunsborough accounted for St Marys by three wickets and Nannup snuck home against Cowaramup with 10 balls to spare.