Moore hails hat-trick hero

Peter Siddle became the fifth Australian bowler to achieve a hat- trick in Ashes history on his 26th birthday at the Gabba yesterday.

And weighing in on the remarkable milestone was former New South –Wales wicketkeeper and Bermuda coach David Moore.

Siddle snared the scalps of Alastair Cook, Matt Prior and Stuart Broad with successive deliveries on the way to career-best Test figures of six for 54 as Australia restricted England to 260 all out.

It was a memorable performance that drew praise from former West Indies coach Moore.

He said: “He’s a good bowler and you can see the way he bowls is what you see is what you get. He’s a bustling, hustling bowler and he certainly knows how to bowl at the stumps and make the batsmen play all the time.”

Prior to Siddle’s miserly spell, England, holders of the coveted Ashes Urn, threatened to run away with the match as the Aussie’s attack struggled with their line and length.

Moore said: “It wasn’t such a great start up until Siddle got the hat-trick and then it turned around for Australia. I thought their bowling was a little wayward earlier on; they couldn’t quite get their lines and lengths they needed.”

Ian Bell led the English resistance with a battling 76 while Cook gathered 67 before his dismissal triggered a middle order slide.

Moore added: “Cook obviously batted well and Bell batted well and then Siddle came and broke the game right open. It was one instance in the game that turned the first day and might turn the second day because there’s a lot of batting to be done on that wicket.”

Moore reckons very little separates the two sides currently battling it out for one of world cricket’s most revered showpieces.

He said: “It’s two equally balanced sides who are quite tough sides to play against. I think neither of the sides will give in and so it will be very tough.

"Whoever gets the best start here (Brisbane) the momentum will be with them and they will probably roll with it.”