The weekend featured two hat-tricks by Onslow bowlers.

First up – Cam Small picked up a hat-trick in the 2A match against North City at Kura Street. Small, terrorised the opposition with 6-21 as Norths crumbled for 30 in their first innings against Onslow. Fellow new-ball partner continued his good form this season with 4-5 from six overs.

For Small, the hat-trick was a repeat performance from three seasons back when he picked up a hat-trick in a one-day match against Eastern Suburbs at the same venue.

In reply, Brad Goldthorp notched 111 as Onslow declared at 250-8. Norths are struggling again in their second innings at 56-5 with Small picking up a further two wickets.

On Sunday, Onslow's Andrew Lamb achieved a hat-trick in the first over of Naenae's innings of 115 in a Tweny20 match at Fraser Park but was outdone by Naenae’s Ronald Karaitiana who ended Onslow’s run chase at 96 with a hat-trick.

"It's something very rare. I've never heard of two hat-tricks in a game," said Lamb. He got the ball rolling by bowling Marc Calkin, Andy Smith and BJ Crook to leave Naenae reeling at two for three. 

"It was just three good balls which went through, which was great," Lamb continued.

The former Firebird was too fast for Calkin, yorked Smith and then knocked Crook over with a peach of a delivery which swung back through the gate.

Lamb said the ball was coming out of his hand "quick," at the moment.  "I had an injury a couple of weeks ago but I've come back from that and feeling super fit and bowling quite fast, so I'm pretty happy with it."

The Onslow 1stXI finished the Twenty20 double-header weekend with a 50/50 record – beating Taita and Collegians while losing to  Naenae and Eastern Suburbs.

Acknowledgement: quotes taken from Hamish Bidwell, The Dominion Post.

Dominion Post Article written by Jonathan Millmow

Leighton Burtt has been handed a lucky break by Cricket Wellington.

The 27-year-old fast bowler has been forgiven for failing to bowl a ball when recruited from Canterbury last summer and handed the 12th and last Firebirds contract worth $20,250.

Burtt had off-season surgery on his Achilles and what was found was bone rubbing on tendon rather than any significant damage to the tendon itself.

Cricket Wellington's director of cricket Robbie Kerr conceded contracting Burtt again "will raise some eyebrows", but he said the selectors believe he is a better option for the final contract than fellow quicks Tipene Friday, Ili Tugaga, Andrew Lamb and all-rounder Dewayne Bowden.

"There will be doubts about his fitness but the experts are telling us he is good to go," Kerr said. "The physio, the strength and conditioning coach, and also Leighton's surgeon, say there is no reason why he won't be fully fit.

"Once we had that info from all the right people we had to base the decision on whether he was good enough."

Burtt has taken 76 first class wickets at an average of 33. He is spirited, lively with the ball and confident in his ability, outwardly at least.

"When he is fit he carries a high reputation as a quality bowler," Kerr said.

"He was recruited last year on the basis he was an extremely good bowler. What happened to him could have happened to anybody and he was more upset than anybody about last season."

Elsewhere, Willie Lonsdale and Logan van Beek will be added to the Canterbury list and Bradley Scott to Northern Districts.

The Parlane brothers have not been picked up, with Neal tipped to play at club level in Auckland and Michael in Christchurch.

Neal Parlane and Wellington part ways at the end of the 2010/11 season.

A big gap in experience, runs and class has been left following Onslow’s Neal Parlane not being awarded a Cricket Wellington contract for the 2011/12 season.

Neal still has a burning desire to play First Class cricket so has relocated himself and his wife to Auckland in an attempt to force his way into the Aces via weight of club runs. Without a confirmed income, Neal will be embarking on his coaching career in the Northland area.

Parlane has been an extremely loyal servant to Onslow and Wellington. He exits Wellington as the sixth highest run scorer for Wellington in first-class cricket with 12 centuries to his name having scored 4654 first-class runs at 39.77 in 79 matches for the Firebird’s.

A proven match winner, Parlane scored two unbeaten centuries in 2010/11 - 130 not out against Central Districts and as captain, leading Wellington to victory over Auckland with an unbeaten 127.

Despite being a safe bet for a couple of centuries a season for Wellington, Parlane wasn’t able to record a century for Onslow. However, Parlane was always certain to steer Onslow to victory when representative duties allowed – regularly being left not out in the 80’s and 90’s when the winning runs were struck.

During 2009/10, Parlane enjoyed success in leading the domestic run aggregates in the Twenty20 competition. Such was his form in January 2010 that he was left 78 not out in club cricket at the close of the first day’s play against University after just 23 overs in Onslow’s first innings. Unfortunately, Parlane was unavailable for the second day due to representative commitments but new rules allowed Sam Lawson to replace parlane for no loss of wicket. Lawson scored 40 runs on debut but unfortunately, the “century” wasn’t able to be credited to Parlane.

Parlane relished captaincy with four of his first-class centuries coming when he was acting skipper of Wellington including a career best 193 against Canterbury in April 2010.

For Onslow, Parlane’s captaincy was an attraction for new comers as well as both young and old players benefiting from his guidance and aggressive “win-first” captaincy style.

Onslow wishes Neal Parlane all the best for the future.