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Holly bowls the men over
By Glenis Green
From: The Daily Telegraph
January 01, 2010 12:00AM

A THIRTEEN-year-old girl has made what could be Queensland cricketing history by taking a hat-trick with her first three balls against senior men in competition.

And fast-bowler Holly Ferling almost rewrote the record books again when she just missed a rare double hat-trick in the match at Kingaroy but still managed to snare her fourth wicket in a sensational first over in her senior men's debut.

A member of the under-15 Queensland women's cricket side, Holly was roped into an undermanned Kingaroy Services team playing the South Burnett Warriors just before Christmas. With no women's cricket teams in her home town, Holly jumped at any chance for more match practice, according to mum Robyn.

And far from being daunted by the senior men's line-up, she took the game to them, dismissing the Warriors' top order - Dale Goodhew (bowled), Stewart Lavering (lbw) and Dan Patroni (caught in slips) - with her first three deliveries.

Goodhew is a Wide Bay representative and Lavering, an over-40s South Burnett rep, is regarded as one of the side's best batsmen. Holly's hat-trick was followed by a dot ball before she dismissed Brendan Crawford, caught behind, with her fifth ball. She finished with 4-8 from four overs with Warriors ending 9-94 before rain brought an end to the match.

Mrs Ferling said it was fair to say a few jaws dropped at her daughter's bowling prowess but the men had taken their beating in good spirit and were very supportive.

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