Theakston Player of the Round: Conor Taylor (Goatacre)

The Goatacre bowler took a match-winning hat-trick to seal a one-run win for his side against Pentyrch

Question: How do you become a legend at your cricket club?

Answer: Ask to bowl a crucial over, take a match-winning hat-trick in the Voneus Village Cup and move your side to within two wins of Lord’s.

Facing Pentyrch in the last 16, two-time champions Goatacre were all out for 125 from 36 overs. In reply, Jamie Hills scored 75 runs from 99 balls to steer the Welsh side to the brink of victory and heading into the 37th over, they required just two runs to win with three wickets in hand.

Enter Conor Taylor.

In the first innings, Taylor was one of only three players to pass 20 with the bat before opening the bowling and recording figures of 0 for 29 from his first six overs.

He started the over with a dot ball before striking three times in three balls to remove Dominic Gambles (bowled), Tegh Seghal (caught and bowled) and Mike Grossett (lbw) to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and earn himself Theakston Player of the Round honours.

Commenting on his performance, Taylor said: "I felt confident that if I could just sneak one through early in the over, then we still had a chance. It’s not in my mindset to give up so asked Ed if I could bowl as I just had a feeling I could still influence the game.

^{John Dotters collected the player of the round prize in round five}

"Safe to say what happened next was pretty special and to get the hat-trick to win the game is what dreams are made of. It’s my first season at Goatacre and I’ve loved every minute so to contribute to get the boys to a quarter-final of the Village Cup is very pleasing.

"I know what this competition means to the club and some of the senior members of the team like Ed and Jif Wilkins and Jack Haines."

Captain Ed Wilkins added: "I had chucked the ball to Jack Haines to bowl the over but Conor asked if he could as he felt confident, safe to say it was lucky Jack agreed and we went for it.

"What happened next was truly remarkable and something I’ve not witnessed in over 20 years of playing senior cricket. Whatever happens in the next round, Conor made a lot of people happy on Sunday with a quite amazing hat-trick and celebrations went on well into the night.

"The Village Cup is a great competition and scenes like Sunday are what we all play for."

Goatacre travel to defending champions Calmore in the quarter-finals on July 17.

Conor Taylor will receive a case of Theakston beer for being named the Player of the Round during the Voneus Village Cup. For more information about Theakston visit https://www.theakstons.co.uk/. Visit https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/ for the facts.