5-5-0-7! U-15 Australian club cricketer grabs 7 wickets without conceding a run

Ben McDonald (Image Courtesy MyCricket)

Ben McDonald, an Under-15 cricketer of Australian club Williamstown CYMS, took four wickets in four balls and finished with an astonishing figures of 7/0 in his side’s Round 2 Western Region Junior Cricket Association clash with Manor Lakes last Saturday.

Sharing the new ball with his brother Adam McDonald, Ben claimed four wickets in his first spell including two wickets off the last two balls. Interestingly, Craig McDonald, the coach, also the father of the McDonald brothers, decided to give his ward a rest. By that time the opposition were tottering at 4-4.

Coming back later in the day, the bowler again captured two in two balls to make it four in a row. He then closed out the innings by dismissing the last wicket on the final ball of his fifth over to end up with overall figures of 5-5-0-7!

Speaking on the acheivement, Williamstown CYMS junior president Michael Jackson said it is the first occurance of a bowler registering 7 wickets without conceding a run in his club’s history. Notably, it was just the 12th game at the club for Ben McDonald, comprehensively improving on his previous best figures of 3-5.

“We have had blokes take eight wickets or more, but none take anything like seven for nothing,” Jackson said to The Herald Sun.

Riding on the spectacular spell, his side was able to restrict the opposition for a paltry score of 44 in 25 overs. It required an unbeaten 21 from No.4 Harry Diacono to reach that score in the first place. In reply, Williamstown CYMS were at 93/1 by the end of 15 overs.

Jackson added that his club has been on the look out to have a larger pool of youngsters to strengthen their senior side.

“We’ve got 12 junior teams this year, and only started our junior program eight years ago. Our Second XI only has three players over 18 in its side. We recognised eight years ago by not having juniors we’d be running into trouble.

“We’ve got guys playing seniors that have progressed all the way through,” Jackson added.