Gloucestershire followers know all about the prodigious all-round talents of overseas star Ian Harvey. They are never surprised by what he achieves but even they might have been taken aback by his latest feat back home, playing in the first match in the Pura Cup – Australia's premier domestic first-class competition

Harvey was having a pretty ordinary day with the ball on the on the third day of Victoria's match against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval. Then, to uphold the old bowler's maxim that you never know what the next ball is going to bring, Harvey helped himself to a hat-trick.

South Australia were going along well in pursuit of Victoria's first innings total of 334 all out, with Harvey scoring 62 of those runs. The Redbacks had reached 311 for 2 at the start of the 103rd over of the innings, with Darren Lehmann 103 not out, continuing where he left off for Yorkshire last season.

With the second ball of that over, bowled by Harvey, Lehmann was caught by the substitute fielder Jonathan Moss in the covers. Next man in was Ben Higgins, and he was out first ball to exactly the same combination, though by now Moss, who played in the C&G Trophy for Berkshire last season, had moved into the slips.

Darren Dempsey was making his first-class debut for South Australia, having moved from playing grade cricket in Victoria in the close season. He faced the hat-trick ball with the fielders clustered round the bat, but they were not needed. Dempsey was struck on the pad, and Harvey claimed the lbw that gave him his place in the record books.

Harvey became only the seventh bowler to take a hat-trick for Victoria.

© CricInfo