ACCURATE left-arm spinner Gareth Lee has been playing senior cricket for 30 years and hadn’t taken a hat-trick – until Sunday that is.

The Yeadon player dismissed Michael Flathers, Sam Wilby and Tom Burrow in successive balls to finally claim that landmark as the visitors eased to victory at Spen Victoria in the second round of the Jack Hampshire Cup.

Lee, who took 4-4 in six overs, was well backed up by leg-spinner James Massheder (3-13) and left-arm paceman Paul Machell (3-12) as Spen Vic were castled for 54 with 11 of what became 38 overs unused.

Sam Massheder (24 not out) and Lee (25 not out) then made short work of the victory target, passing Spen’s score in only 12.2 overs as rain threatened to intervene for a second time, with the initial interruption coming with the hosts at 48-8.

Lee, who is 43, explained: “I always try and bowl straight, change my pace a little bit and let the batter make the mistakes.

“We have some good young kids – I was impressed with them when I first arrived – and James, for example, is a good leg-spinner.

“It is a very difficult skill for a youngster and he doesn’t bowl many bad balls and has a bit of aggression about him. He is going to be a good bowler.”

Lee, who played for Pudsey St Lawrence as a junior and has since represented Horsforth, Skipton, New Farnley, Calverley, Green Lane, Gomersal and Farsley, added: “Spen didn’t really apply themselves and there were a few big shots early on, and it wasn’t really a wicket for that.

“It was more a get your head down and grind it out sort of wicket - wait for the bad ball. They wanted to play some big shots but ended up leaving it to the kids, who did all right.”

As for their prospects in the Jack Hampshire Cup now that they have reached the quarter-finals, Lee said: “We are hopeful of getting to the final.

“It would be great for the young kids as finals are special and there are a lot of people watching.

“As for the league, we are doing very well, leading Championship Division Two.

“If we perform well we will beat most teams as we have a bit of everything and our overseas player is good, but if we don’t perform well everyone will beat us.”

There was plenty of playing and missing after Yeadon won the toss and sent Spen Victoria in.

However, enough edges were found to reduce the hosts to 25-3 before promising youngster young Tom Burton, who looked compact in defence but struggled to rotate the strike, and Adam Brown added 20.

The dismissal of Brown, who was yorked by James Massheder going down the wicket, signalled a collapse from 45-3 to 54 all out, with Lee and Machell also giving the home side little respite.

Rain brought an early tea but Yeadon soon polished off the final two Spen wickets, and then Sam Massheder and Lee made things seem a lot easier when they batted.

The former hit four fours and the latter five as clouds again began to circle the ground.