Sidebottom earns the plaudits

Ryan Sidebottom admitted it was a “special” moment after becoming the 11th England player to claim a Test hat-trick and spearhead an unexpected fightback in the first Test against New Zealand.

Sidebottom’s removal of Stephen Fleming, Mathew Sinclair and Jacob Oram off successive deliveries prompted a New Zealand collapse of four wickets for six runs in only nine balls and gave the tourists a glimpse of victory despite being dominated for most of the Test.

He is the first England bowler to achieve the feat since fellow Yorkshireman Matthew Hoggard emulated the feat against West Indies in Barbados four years ago and only the fourth in the last 50 years.

His efforts restricted New Zealand to a lead 269 on 147 for eight going into the final day with both sides now fancying their chances of victory to claim a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.

“I suppose I’ll remember it for as long as I’m alive,” admitted Sidebottom, who finished the day with impressive figures of five for 37.

“I’ve never had a hat-trick before so to get one in a Test match is even more special. It hasn’t really sunk in yet and it’s not just about me because we want to win Test matches and it’s a big day for us tomorrow.”

Sidebottom’s display stopped New Zealand, who had earlier dismissed England for 348 to claim a 122-run first innings lead, progressing towards a declaration by scoring quick runs in the final session.

He follows fellow Yorkshiremen Hoggard and Darren Gough, who claimed a hat-trick against Australia at Sydney in 1999, as the last three players to have achieved the feat.

“Goughie always likes a bit of a chirp in the dressing room and talks about his hat-tricks and I suppose you always dream of taking a hat-trick in a Test match,” said Sidebottom, who was watched in the crowd by his parents Arnie and Gillian.

“I’ve been on a hat-trick two or three times in my career but I’ve never got a hat-trick before so I’ll take this one.

“I haven’t asked the umpires for the ball yet but we still need two wickets and hopefully I’ll be able to grab it off them, if they’ll let me have it, once we’ve got the two wickets.”

Asked on his thoughts before bowling the hat-trick ball, which trapped Oram lbw, Sidebottom admitted he had been distracted by what Nottinghamshire team-mate Graeme Swann, who was on as a temporary substitute fielder, was saying to him.

“I wasn’t really thinking about anything before I bowled - Swanny told me he’d do a few things to me if I got the hat-trick from mid-off,” he confirmed.

“Once I’d appealed I didn’t think he was going to put his finger up and I didn’t know what to do when he did - I just ran away like a headless chicken.”

But despite their late collapse, New Zealand still believe they are favourites to win with former captain Stephen Fleming, who top-scored with 66, stressing: “I think it’s great. It’s breathed some life into a game that was meandering and I think it’s probably given us our best chance of winning.

“We had to gamble to do it and we’re the only team that’s probably been positive enough to create such an opportunity and from that point of view England are probably feeling good about themselves that they’ve got a chance of winning but we knew that would have to be the case if we’re going to win this match.

“We’re not overly happy about how the situation occurred but we’ve analysed it and in any situation you’d probably take 270 or 280 going into the final day.

“Our mindset has been positive the whole time. We would have liked to been more comfortable declaring 350 ahead with men around the bat but whenever players sit in it’s hard to remove them so having to score is our best chance.”

Asked whether he thought England would chase such a target or just accept a draw, Fleming added: “They’ve been out of the game for four days so to be presented with a chance like that and not take it would just be staggering.”