Irish all-rounder Curtis Campher recently made cricket history by becoming the first player in men’s professional cricket to take five wickets in just five deliveries.
A Spellbinding Performance
The remarkable feat unfolded during a recent Inter-Provincial T20 Trophy match. Campher, captaining the Munster Reds, delivered a stunning performance against the North-West Warriors that left spectators buzzing.
His incredible bowling spell saw him claim five wickets across two consecutive overs, turning the tide of the match decisively in his team’s favour. The Warriors, who were looking relatively stable at 87 for 5, crumbled rapidly to 88 all out, unable to withstand Campher’s onslaught.
Making History (with a Clarification)
While Campher’s achievement is a first in men’s professional cricket, it’s worth noting that he isn’t the only player to achieve a “five-in-five.” Zimbabwe Women’s all-rounder Kelis Ndhlovu previously accomplished this rare feat in a domestic T20 tournament in 2024 for Zimbabwe U-19 against Eagles Women.
Campher also holds a place in an elite group of bowlers who have taken four wickets in four balls in T20 internationals, further cementing his reputation as a formidable talent in the short format of the game.
How the Wickets Tumbled
The 26-year-old right-arm pacer started his incredible run during the 12th over of the Warriors’ chase. He dismissed Jared Wilson with an inswinging delivery that crashed into the stumps, followed immediately by trapping Graham Hume lbw with another perfectly executed inswinger. This set him up for a hat-trick.
Returning for his next over, the 14th, Campher wasted no time. He completed his hat-trick by dismissing Andy McBrine on the very first ball. Not stopping there, he then removed Robbie Millar and Josh Wilson on the subsequent two deliveries, completing his unprecedented five-wicket haul in just five balls.
Campher finished with sensational figures of 5 wickets for just 16 runs from 2.3 overs, guiding the Munster Reds to a comprehensive victory after they had posted 188 for 7 earlier in their innings.
Campher’s Take
Reflecting on his performance, Campher shared his positive outlook, especially after dealing with injuries. He expressed how good it felt to be back on the field with his teammates.
“When you get injured, it’s a bit of a dark place,” Campher said. “So it has been really nice, just been treated with the weather too. So I have been really enjoying myself and putting pressure on myself to do well and it has kind of made me work for the last little bit.”
A Seasoned International
Despite his age, Curtis Campher is already an experienced international cricketer for Ireland. He made his debut in 2020 and has since represented his country in seven Tests, 43 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 61 T20 Internationals.
- Curtis Campher is the first male player in professional cricket to take five wickets in five balls.
- The feat occurred during a T20 match for Munster Reds against North-West Warriors.
- He achieved the five wickets across two overs, including a hat-trick.
- Zimbabwe’s Kelis Ndhlovu previously achieved this in women’s domestic cricket.
This historic achievement adds another memorable chapter to Campher’s growing career and highlights his significant impact on Irish cricket.
