Pollock starts at record pace for Warwickshire

SOUTH AFRICAN all rounder Shaun Pollock howled his way into the history books in sensational fashion, taking four wickets in four halls, on his Warwickshire debut yesterday.

The 22 year old right arm seamer became the first man in 25 years of the Benson and Hedges Cup to take four wickets in as many balls and finished with stunning figures of six for 21 in 10 overs to leave Leicestershire reeling at 64 for six at the halfway stage.

All the talk before the start of the competition had been of early pinch hitting, designed to take advantage of World Cup style fielding restrictions for the first 5 of each side's 50 overs.

Pollock, who made such a bright start to his Test career against England this winter, made a mockery of those tactics before Leicestershire had even had the chance to test them out.

The medium fast bowler started with a maiden and took the wicket of Vince Wells in his second over. In his fourth over, he simply tore through the Leicestershire batting line up.

After a dot ball, he had Gregor MacMillan given out, caught by Dermot Reeve at first slip, when the ball appeared to strike the batsman on the elbow.

He then bowled James Whitaker, who was beaten by sheer pace, and Phil Robinson gave Pollock the 11th hat trick in the history of the competition when he was caught off hat and pad by Andy Moles at short leg.

Pollock's four ball four wicket sequence came courtesy of Darren Maddy, who edged to Dominic Ostler at slip. Paul Nixon later became Pollock's sixth victim caught by Moles.