MEREWETHER will be hoping for more of the same against Toronto at Ron Hill Oval on Saturday, but Sam O'Sullivan's just happy to finally have one.
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The Lions opening bowler took his first hat-trick last weekend, finishing with career-best figures of 6-12 and helping give the visitors a shot at outright points.
Toronto are 13 runs in front approaching day two, resuming their second innings at 2-107 after being dismissed for 61. In between, Merewether declared at 4-155 having faced 26.5 overs.
Jason Varoxis (42) and Benjamin Roberts (30) are the not-out batsmen.
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"The two in at the moment will be key," O'Sullivan said.
"If we can get them early hopefully it will be pretty similar to last week, get on a roll and keep going."
O'Sullivan's spell on day one paved the way for the Lions to secure a first-innings result, seeing the hosts fall from 3-9 to 6-9 early in the piece.
He bowled Roberts chopping on for a 12-ball duck and had Connor Lupton caught behind by wicketkeeper Patrick Huolohan before completing the cricketing feat when his next delivery ballooned off Matthew Somerville's gloves to gully fielder Tom McDevitt.
"I was going nuts. I couldn't believe it happened, just out of the blue," O'Sullivan said.
"It was massive for us, especially chasing some [competition] points."
The 23-year-old, now in his third season at Merewether after joining from Newcastle District Cricket Association neighbours City, was embraced by his teammates.
"There was a lot of hands on my head and scruffing the hair," he said.
Since the Christmas break O'Sullivan has been sharing the new ball with Michael Hogan, playing with his old club ahead of an English county campaign at Kent.
"It's unreal. He [Hogan] doesn't scratch it at all and all you have to do is bowl nice and straight because everyone else is worried about getting out to him," O'Sullivan said.
Hogan dismissed Toronto's Luke Garaty twice on the same day.
Merewether (22) sit one point behind Toronto (23) on the NDCA ladder.
Two other matches are underway in round 10 with Charlestown (3-60) chasing Cardiff-Boolaroo's 191 at Kahibah Oval and competition leaders Wallsend (0-7) in pursuit of Wests' 210 at Harker Oval.
Charlestown captain Daniel Arms and CBs skipper Jay Sneddon agree Saturday's opening session will prove pivotal to the outcome.
"First hour is big. If we can get through without losing a pole we'll be in a good position to get the job done," Arms said.
Matthew Bench (21) and Michael Harding (16) are at the crease with Arms, Daniel Chillingworth and Michael Richardson already back in the pavilion.
"The first session did a fair bit when we batted so the plan is to set aggressive fields early and really hit the wicket hard and take the game to them," Sneddon said.
Wests have leg-spinner Aaron Bills back in the attack following the Australian Country Championships.
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Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
