Gloucestershire cricketer Tom Price had a field day during an away County Championship match against Worcestershire. The 23-year-old cricketer from Oxford not only scored a century to rescue his team from a tight spot but also took a hat-trick on Thursday to give his side the upper hand at the County Ground on New Road, Worcester.

Gloucestershire captain Graeme van Buuren, having won the toss, elected to bat but the side soon found itself in dire straits as it was reduced to 45/7 in mere 21.5 overs. Two of the top four batters departed without bothering the scorers, while the other two could only manage single-digit scores.

Just when it felt there was hardly any hope left with Jack Taylor’s dismissal off Dillon Pennington’s bowling, out walked Price. With Zafar Gohar, Marchant de Lange and Ajeet Dale for company at the other end, Price ultimately reached 109 off 98 deliveries. He scored 12 fours and four sixes before being dismissed run out.

Gloucestershire finally folded at a respectable 231.

In reply, Worcestershire got off to a good start. Medium pacer Dale finally provided the away team the breakthrough with 58 on the board in 17.3 overs, snapping up the wicket of opener Jake Libby.

The wicket seemed to have broken the dam as Price swooped in immediately after to take the wickets of Azhar Ali, Jack Haynes and skipper Brett D’Oliveira off successive deliveries to cap a fantastic day with a hat-trick. He returned to also remove the other opener in Edward Pollock.

At the time of writing during the fourth session of day one, Worcestershire trails by 114 runs.