A MAIDEN senior century and a maiden hat-trick - the first Saturday of cricket in 2020 is one that St Pat's Old Boys duo Liam Cooke and Bailey Webber will long remember.
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For 16-year-old Cooke, opting to make a rare appearance in the Bathurst District Cricket Association's presidents cup competition for St Pat's Blue proved to be a good decision.
He hit an unbeaten 123. It was his first senior grade ton and first time he had cracked triple figures for the Saints.
Webber, who has been playing cricket for the Saints for eight summers, took a hat-trick on the final three deliveries of his eight-over spell in the second grade competition against Bathurst Bushrangers.
The right-arm medium pacer has taken five wickets in an innings before - he did so in last season's grand final against Bathurst City - but his effort at Morse Park 2 was the first time he'd managed a hat-trick.
"I've never taken a hat-trick before and never been on the field to be involved in one before, so it was interesting to be a par of," he said.
"It was the last over of my spell, my eighth over. The ball before I got my first wicket I got hit for an awesome six straight back down the ground and I thought 'How am I going to come back from this?'
"It was the same fella on strike and I bowled him. The next bloke came out and it was lbw.
"The hat-trick ball, old mate looked pretty content to score some runs, took a lot of time to get out there and I bowled him on a juicy full toss. There was a lot of luck in it, but it was something interesting to be a part of."
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Webber, who finished with 4-18 off his eight overs, said he did not intend to bowl a full toss for his hat-trick ball.
"All I was thinking was 'Get it on the stumps', that's what I was thinking, give the ball an opportunity to swing and hopefully it will hit the stumps. As long as it wasn't short or wide," he said.
"I was over the moon with it ... I was very happy for the effort, obviously I was one-for for the rest of my spell, but in the last over I was lucky enough to get them on my last three balls."
Webber's efforts helped see the Bushrangers all out for 114, the Saints going on to claim a seven-wicket win as they completed the chase in 24 overs.
While Webber felt there was an element of luck in claiming the hat-trick, Cooke knows he had good fortune on his side more than once during his knock.
He admits he "gave a lot" of chances on his way to an unbeaten 123 against St Pat's Gold at Cubis Park. It helped Pat's Blue to a 116-run victory.
"The first 50 was very shaky, I think I was put down four times, I was getting the cobwebs out from Christmas. The second 70 was much better, but I think I was still put down two times," he said.
"There were two dollies which should have been taken, so the luck was on my side which was good.
"I didn't feel like I deserved a hundred I suppose, but I'll take it."
Cooke normally spends Saturdays playing in the Independent Sporting Association first grade cricket competition for Saint Stanislaus' College, his top score so far this season an unbeaten 29.
But with that competition currently in hiatus for school holidays, he decided to join his father for the presidents cup match. Cooke said he did not experience the renowned 'nervous 90s' as he did not realise he was that close to triple figures.
"The first 50 was much slower, then there was only about 10 overs to go so we just got told to hit. I thought I was only on 80 or so, but then they starting clapping. I had no idea," he said.
"It was cut shot over cover, it only cleared him [fielder] by about five metres, yeah, it was one of the only ones that come out of the middle."
