Kyle Jamieson's hat-trick continues prolific start to season for New Zealand quick

Kyle Jamieson's impressive start to the New Zealand season continued as he claimed a hat-trick on the second day of the Plunket Shield match against Central Districts.

Jamieson, who took match figures of 8 for 45 in the opening round against Otago, removed Tom Bruce, Dane Cleaver and Brad Schmulian for his hat-trick in the 27th over. The Auckland quick finished with figures of 5 for 41.

The hat-trick delivery to Schmulian was a booming inswinger which came back sharply to take off stump as the batsman shouldered arms.

"I said to mid-off and mid-on, I'm just going to bowl a big [inswinger] and try to make him play," Jamieson said. "When you are on a hat-trick you have to try and go pole-hunting a little bit, it managed to come back a wee bit and the rest got swept up in the emotion of it. Pretty cool moment."

Jamieson has been working on adding the inswinger to his armoury over the last couple of seasons and has started to use it with greater regularity at the start of this summer. He has also tried to attack the crease more in his delivery stride having watched the Australia and New Zealand bowlers when he was first called into the Test squad as a replacement late last year on the tour of Australia.

"It's been a couple of years work," he said. "Did a little bit last winter and continued it this winter. I got a couple out of the hand last week which settled the nerves in terms of bowling it in a game, it's nice to be able to offer a couple variations to keep the batter guessing.

"My first impressions of watching all the guys run, both the Aussies and the Kiwis, was just how much they attacked the crease and I thought there's probably a little room to move for me in that area. I did a little work in the nets in Sydney and then brought it back, it's about finding ways to keep improving and adding bits to your game. It helped me at the back end of last season and just trying to take it forward into this one."

Jamieson made an immediate mark on international cricket when he debuted against India in February, taking nine wickets in his first two Tests including 5 for 45 in Christchurch. He is now looking in fine form ahead of New Zealand's home international season, which begins against West Indies late next month before a visit by Pakistan, boosted by a winter of fitness work with the cancellation of cricket due to Covid-19.

"I'm very comfortable with where my game's at at the moment, the things I've been working on and how I've been feeling in the middle more importantly. I certainly feel in the best shape I ever have going into a season."