Published: Aug 03, 2015, 05:53 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 03, 2015, 05:59 PM (IST)
Taking a hat-trick of the first three balls of the match is unheard off! The deed reminds you of only one player, i.e. Sri Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas. In the coveted 2003 WC, Vaas made headlines and wrote history by scalping three consecutive wickets in his first three deliveries of the match. Similarly on Sunday, Joe Leach of Worcestershire joined this unique club by repeating the same in a domestic limited overs match against Northants.
Leach picked the key wickets of Richard Levi, Rob Keogh and Ben Duckett with the first three balls of the ‘very’ first over. The first two wickets were caught behind followed by an unexpected bouncer to Duckett, who became his third scalp of the day. Leach went on to take another wicket, the priced wicket of opener Josh Cobb. Incidentally, this also became Leach’s best bowling figures in List A cricket of 4 for 30 in 10 overs with three maidens.
Northants were bundled out for 126 and it looked like a cakewalk for Worcestershire. But to everyone’s surprise they made a mountain of a molehill and were all out for 105 runs and handed a win to Northants. Azharullah played a key role in the win by taking 4-22 in his eight over’s which also comprised of four maidens.
