Bag of tricks: Interesting facts about hat-trick takers in cricket
Moeen Ali celebrates the wicket of South Africa's Dean Elgar on Monday. He went on to become the first player to claim a hat-trick at The Oval. Pic/GETTY IMAGES
Australia's Damien Fleming celebrates his hat-trick with a teammate in Rawalpindi, 1994
Flem's fire and brilliance
Australian fast bowler Damien Fleming bagged a hat-trick in his very first Test — against Pakistan at Rawalpindi in 1994. Watching fellow paceman Craig McDermott reverting to a shorter run-up, Fleming shortened his by six metres and got Aamer Malik, Inzamam-ul-Haq in two deliveries. The third victim, Salim Malik was sent back off the first ball in his next over.
Peter pans three
New Zealand's Peter Petherick was another bowler to get a hat-trick on Test debut. He claimed the wicket of a well-set Javed Miandad (163) at Lahore in 1976 and followed it up with the wickets of Wasim Raja (0) and Intikhab Alam (0). Petherick was an easy-going motor mechanic who reacted to the feat by saying, "I'd always knew I'd do it. I just gave them 97 runs to loosen up!" Patherick gave away only six more runs in the innings.
Rusi Surti did it for Qld
No Indian bagged a hat-trick v Aus till Harbhajan did his trick against the men from Down Under at Kolkata in 2001, but Indian all-rounder Rusi Surti [called the poor man's Garry Sobers] became the first Queensland player to bag a hat-trick when he dismissed three Western Australian batsmen in the 1968-69 Sheffield Shield season.
Harbhajan Singh is ecstatic after claiming the wicket of Australia's Shane Warne for a hat-trick at Eden Gardens in 2001
That magic ball
Who has the ball which Harbhajan Singh claimed India's first hat-trick — against Australia at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 2001? Not the celebrated off-spinner for sure, but presumably the family of former England skipper and television commentator Tony Greig. The cricket great, who passed away in 2012 due to lung cancer, bought the ball at a charity auction for Rs 55,000 in 2003. Television commentator Greig was on air when Harbhajan sent back Ponting, Gilchrist and Warne.
Former WI pacer Courtney Walsh
Oh really, a hat-trick?
Is there something called an unrealised hat-trick? Yes. West Indian pacer Courtney Walsh claimed the wicket of Australia's Tony Dodemaide in the first innings at Brisbane in 1988 and Australia were bowled out for 167. WI scored 394 before reducing Australia to 65 for 2. That's when skipper Viv Richards introduced Walsh into the attack. Immediately, he dismissed Mike Veletta and Graeme Wood. When the new man Allan Border walked in, spectators were expecting a hat-trick. But then, Walsh had already done his 'trick in the first innings. Border scored 41.
Former British PM John Major
A Major feat
That former British Prime Minister John Major is a cricket buff is well known. What many do not know is that Major was a recipient of the Evening Standard newspaper's Young Cricketer of the Year for his spell of 7 for 9 including a hat-trick during an inter-schools match when he was 12. Major was the president of the Surrey County Cricket Club in London from 2000 to 2001.
The real turbanator?
Baqa Jilani claimed 5 for 7 in 25 balls for Northern India against Southern Punjab in the 1934-35 Ranji Trophy season. All victims of this tall and hefty fast-medium bowler were Sikhs.
Jilani went on to play one Test for India — against England at The Oval in 1936 and was involved In a controversy when he insulted CK Nayudu at breakfast. He was part of a family that produced three Pakistan Test captains —Javed Burki, Majid Khan and Imran Khan. Jilani died at the age of 29 when he fell off a balcony after an epileptic fit. He was known to suffer from blood pressure, insomnia and used to sleep walk.
Former Oz bowler Merv Hughes
Merv's big game
Aussie fast bowler Merv Hughes claimed a hat-trick against West Indies at Perth spread over three overs. First, he got rid of Curtly Ambrose caught behind with the last ball of his 36th over. Augustine Logie fell in the next over bowled by Tim May. Hughes then dismissed Patrick Patterson off the first ball of his next over to achieve a fifer. Opening the bowling in West Indies' second innings, Hughes trapped Gordon Greenidge LBW for the hat-trick.
Perfect team man
In the same match Hughes ended up getting the man-of-the-match award for his 13 wickets for Australia. But when the team manager Ian McDonald informed him about the man of the match adjudication, Hughes reportedly broke down with the words, "I don't want the damn thing." He was gutted over the 169-run loss to the then world champs.
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