How Harry Hoekstra is making a splash in Tasmania

THE incredible start to Harry Hoekstra’s First-Class Cricket career for Victoria continued in Hobart on Monday this week when he took the wicket of Big Bash regular Jordan Silk with his third delivery of the match.

Opening the bowling with Fergus O'Neill, Hoekstra was practically unplayable on a first-day wicket at Bellerive Oval that wasn’t expected to play any tricks by the locals, so much so they won the toss and elected to bat.

But it’s a decision they’d probably like to take back, not reckoning on the devastating potential of the former Koonwarra-Leongatha RSL left-armer.

Hoekstra snared the other Tasmanian opener in Caleb Jewell in his fifth over, a maiden, before taking a brief spell then coming back to take promising all-rounder Nivethan Radhakrishnan with the second delivery of his sixth.

Two overs later, he took two Tasmanian scalps in the one over to claim his second ‘five for’ in only his second Sheffield Shield match.

A spokesman for Cricket Victoria said the organisation was delighted with his success.

“They weren’t expecting anything unusual from the wicket, but Harry does a lot with the ball, so crafty with his deliveries. It’s bouncing like a tennis ball down there and Harry is really making the most of it.

“That’s three “five fors” in four matches, two one-dayers and the two shield matches. Pretty impressive.”

With Australian test spinner Todd Murphy and paceman Fergus O’Neill chiming in with a wicket each, Victoria had Tasmania on the ropes at lunch at 7/45.

On an individual note, the repeat performance in the long-form game, after his heroics against South Australia the week before, will almost certainly see Hoekstra confirm his place in the Victorian team, and at just 20 year-of-age, the sky’s the limit from here.

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