Ireland's Curtis Campher becomes first man in professional cricket to take 5 wickets in 5 balls

Ireland all-rounder Curtis Campher became the first men's professional cricketer to take five wickets in as many balls during his side Munster Reds' win over North-West Warriors in an Inter-Provincial T20 Trophy match here on Thursday. Campher, who is also part of an elite list of bowlers to take four wickets in four balls in T20 internationals, however, is not the first person to achieve this feat.

That honour belongs to Zimbabwe Women all-rounder Kelis Ndhlovu who took five wickets in five balls for Zimbabwe U-19 against Eagles Women in a domestic T20 tournament in 2024. The 26-year-old Munster Reds captain and right-arm pacer took his five wickets across his second and third overs as North-West Warriors slumped from 87 for 5 to 88 all out in 13.3 overs while chasing 189.

He finished with 5 for 16 from 2.3 overs at the Pembroke Cricket Club, Sandymount, Dublin. Jared Wilson, the first of the five wickets, was out off the penultimate delivery of the 12th over when Campher got the ball to swing in and crash into off stump. Next ball, Graham Hume was trapped lbw off another inswinger.

That put Curtis Campher on a hat-trick at the start of his next over, and it came when Andy McBrine was dismissed on the first ball of the 14th over. His next two balls got rid of No. 10 Robbie Millar (0) and No. 11 Josh Wilson (0) to complete his five wicket haul. PTI Earlier, Munster Reds had scored 188 for 7 in 20 overs after electing to bat. Campher has played seven Tests, 43 ODIs and 61 T20Is since making debut for Ireland in 2020.