Multan Sultans may have had a PSL X to forget, but their replacement pick Curtis Campher has etched his name in cricketing folklore.
The Irish all-rounder has become the first player in men’s professional cricket history to claim five wickets in five balls. He produced the extraordinary feat during Munster Reds’ clash with North West Warriors in the Inter-Provincial T20 Trophy in Dublin.
His historic day began with the bat, as Campher helped rescue Munster from a mid-innings wobble. Coming in at 57-2, he stitched together a valuable 68-run stand with Peter Moor and top-scored with 44 off just 24 balls, pushing the Reds to a commanding 188/7.
But it was with the ball where he turned a convincing win into an iconic moment. The Warriors were already floundering at 87-5 in the 12th over when Campher dismissed Jared Wilson and Graham Hume on consecutive balls.
Returning for his next over, Curtis Campher dismissed Andy McBrine, Robbie Millar, and Josh Wilson all in consecutive deliveries, becoming the first player ever in professional cricket to dismiss five players in five deliveries.
His carnage folded North West Warriors for just 88, handing Munster Reds a 100-run win.
Though there have been instances of five (and even more) wickets in five balls at school or club level, this was the first time it had happened in a professional men’s match. It’s the kind of achievement that rarely comes along, placing Curtis Campher in a league of his own. With a possible return to Multan Sultans in the future as well, the 26-year-old may have solidified his future in a span of five deliveries.
In a sport that treasures its milestones and remembers even those who come close, Curtis Campher has just delivered one for the ages.
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