Worcestershire's Joe Leach takes hat-trick with first three balls of match
Worcestershire fast bowler Joe Leach claimed a hat-trick with the first three balls of his side's Royal London One-Day Cup match against Northamptonshire on Sunday.
The 24-year-old paceman had Richard Levi and Rob Keogh caught behind before removing Ben Duckett, caught at gully by Jack Shantry. Northamptonshire’s score read 0/3 after the first three balls of the match, prompting mad scenes within the Worcestershire team.
Leach finished with figures of 4-30 from his 10 overs as Northants were dismissed for just 126 in 35.1 overs.
Three ducks in the first over was followed by a swan flying perilously close to the field of play, further sprucing up a highly entertaining opening to the match.
3 ducks shortly followed by a swan! Brief delay as a low flying swan completes a few laps of the outfield! #whatnext pic.twitter.com/rY8UqZNMGp
— Worcestershire CCC (@WorcsCCC) August 2, 2015
It's a hat-trick! Duckett ct gulley Shantry b Leach 0 Northants 0-3
— Worcestershire CCC (@WorcsCCC) August 2, 2015
Joe leach hatrick ball 0-3 https://t.co/7eGmU6F98J
— Ash Hemming (@Hemming229) August 2, 2015
There was also a surprise guest who came in midway into the match, whether or not to witness the 24-year-old Joseph Leach it is not known.
Worcs legend Glenn McGrath has just entered the ground via the main gate. Payed with distinction at New Road for whole of 2000 season
— Worcestershire CCC (@WorcsCCC) August 2, 2015
This is the second time such a unique hat-trick has been achieved in a high profile cricket match. Chaminda Vaas, in a 2003 World Cup match against Bangladesh, became the first player in Tests or one-dayers to take such a hat-trick. Vaas had added a further scalp with the fifth ball of the match en route to a four-wicket opening over.
Interestingly, India’s Irfan Pathan had taken 3 wickets with the last three balls of the first over of the match in the 2006 Karachi Test. Pathan became the first bowler to take a hat-trick in the very first over of a Test match by picking up the wickets of Salman Butt, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf.