Historic First: Brett Randell Becomes First Cricketer Ever to Take Five Wickets in Five Balls in First-Class Match
Brett Randell made cricket history by taking five wickets in five balls—the first ever in first-class play.
Cricket has borne witness to astonishing feats—hat-tricks, dazzling spells—but nothing quite like what Brett Randell achieved on 8 March 2026. On a bright morning at McLean Park in Napier, Randell tore through Northern Districts’ top order in Plunket Shield play and became the first bowler in the 254-year history of first-class cricket to take five wickets in five consecutive deliveries.
The Moment That Rewrote the Records
Playing for Central Districts (the Central Stags) against Northern Districts, the 30-year-old right-arm medium-fast bowler first clean bowled Henry Cooper with the final ball of his second over. He didn’t stop there. The first delivery of his third over saw Jeet Raval, a former Black Cap, driven through the gate. What followed was a chain-reaction: Joe Carter caught behind for a golden duck, Robbie O’Donnell nicked off in the slips, and Kristian Clarke was bowled after an inside edge deflected off the leg stump. Five victims, five deliveries. At that point Randell’s spell stood at five wickets for two runs.
Career Best Figures & Match Context
Randell didn’t just stop at five. He picked up two more wickets in his next over—Ben Pomare for a third-ball duck and Test bowler Scott Kuggeleijn, who stuck around just long enough to add two runs. His final figures: 7 for 25 runs off 11 overs. These are the best bowling figures of his nine-year first-class career, eclipsing his previous best of 6 for 45. The collapse he engineered left Northern Districts all out for just 82, in reply to Central Districts’ 373.
Why It’s Unprecedented
While hat-tricks (three wickets in three balls) are rare and even rarer are four-in-four or double hat-tricks, never before had a bowler in first-class cricket taken five wickets in *five successive deliveries*. The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians confirms that no record since 1772 shows this feat—until now. It’s not just a milestone for Randell; it’s the rearrangement of cricket’s long-standing ledger.
Randell’s Rise—and What This Means Going Forward
Brett Graham Randell, born 20 May 1995 in Auckland, has quietly built a steady domestic career. He debuted in first-class cricket for Northern Districts in 2017, moved to Central Districts later, and has made occasional appearances abroad, including in England’s county cricket. Before this morning, he had played 36 first-class matches, taken 101 wickets at an average of around 25, and produced two five-wicket hauls.
This new record elevates him beyond domestic steady-earner to cricketing legend. For New Zealand cricket, it’s a moment of celebration; for cricket lovers worldwide, it’s proof that history can indeed be made on any day, any ground. The question now: who, if ever, will match or surpass such a singular display of dominance?
Conclusion: Brett Randell didn’t just take wickets—he shattered a 254-year barrier. His five in five will stand tall in the annals of cricket history, and ensure that today’s Plunket Shield match is remembered not just for the innings, but for the moment when the improbable became possible.
