In the ongoing 2023 County Championship Division Two, the 23-year-old Gloucestershire’s all-rounder Tom Price created history on the opening day (20 April 2023) against the hosts Worcestershire. After the right-handed batter scored a vital century at the no.9 batting position, the right-arm medium pacer also recorded a hat-trick on the same day. In first-class cricket history, Price became the first cricketer to score a century and take a hat-trick on the same day.
Tom Price as a batter: Team saving century – 109 runs off 98 balls (12 fours and four sixes)
After Gloucestershire chose to bat first, they were struggling on 45/7 when Tom Price came to bat. The right-handed batter rescued his team with a strong aggressive batting performance. He not only helped to add 186 runs on the board for the last three wickets, but he also scored his maiden first-class century.
Right-handed batter Price scored 109 off just 98 balls (12 fours and four sixes) before he was run out to end that innings on 231 runs.
Watch the video: Tom Price’s maiden first-class century
Tom Price as a bowler: A dominant hat-trick – Dismissed Azhar Ali (0), Jack Haynes (0) and Brett D'Oliveira (0)
Later on the same day, Price recorded a hat-trick with the ball in the 19th over of Worcestershire’s first innings. During that over, the right-arm medium bowler dismissed former Pakistan cricketer Azhar Ali, Jack Haynes and skipper Brett D'Oliveira all for the ducks (Haynes and D'Oliveira scored golden ducks). All those batters were caught behind by the wicketkeeper James Bracey. That hat-trick suddenly disrupted Worcestershire from 59/1 to 59/4.
Watch the video: Tom Price’s hat-trick
Soon, Price also dismissed the set opener Ed Pollock for 34 runs, where the wicketkeeper James Bracey once again took the catch.
At the end of that opening day, Worcestershire were struggling on 118/7. Price ended the day with the bowling figures of 9-0-38-4.
