Hat tricks are a pretty rare event in cricket- getting three wickets of three consecutive balls is no easy feat. Yet we have had quite a few of them over the years. Here’s a look at some of the best hat tricks the game of cricket has seen.
Shane Warne vs England (1994)
Shane Warne’s hat-trick at the MCG in 1994 – sealed by a leaping David Boon – smashed a remarkable record. It was the first Ashes hat-trick in 90 years, and has rightly been voted among the top 10 Ashes moments. most wicket in odi 2017
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Warne was wicketless for the innings as England, battling to save the Test, slumped to 6-91. With the fourth ball of his 13th over, Warne had Phil DeFreitas lbw. Darren Gough edged the next through to Ian Healy, bringing bunny Devon Malcolm trudging to the crease. Warne went for the top-spinner, landed it perfectly, caught the gloves of Malcolm and it deflected to the leg side where David Boon took a superb one-handed diving catch.
Glenn McGrath vs West Indies (2000)
In Perth this paragon of line and length swept past 300 Test wickets in fairytale style, reaching his landmark in the middle of a maiden first-class hat-trick. Unsettled by the WACA’s extra lift, Sherwin Campbell edged a good-length ball to first slip, and when McGrath adjusted his line perfectly to the left-handed Brian Lara, he was rewarded with another deflection. Fourth slip Stuart MacGill juggled the ball but held on.
For Jimmy Adams, McGrath dug in an attempted rib-tickler. It looped up towards his hip, bouncing like a tennis ball, for a gentle catch to short-leg. The West Indies’ three most experienced batsmen were all gone in successive balls.
Irfan Pathan vs Pakistan (2006)
Pathan found success with the ball in the Third Test in Karachi, when he became the first person to claim a hat-trick in the first over of a Test match—the first five minutes of a match scheduled for 30 hours—and the first Indian to take a hat-trick in an away Test.
It was also the highest in terms of total averages of the batsmen dismissed (130.18: Salman Butt 34.27, Younis Khan 46.04, Mohammad Yousuf 49.86) and came after 1783 Tests in the history of cricket. He had Butt caught by Dravid in the slips from an outswinger, before trapping Younis leg before wicket and bowling Yousuf, both with inswingers.
Lasith Malinga vs South Africa (2007)
An amazing double hat-trick from Lasith Malinga gave the Sri Lankans hope in the dying stages to go within a wicket of stopping the Proteas a few runs short in their chase, but South African tail enders steeled themselves to stand firm and close out victory.
South Africa looked certain to clinch victory with just 4 runs required in 32 balls and five wickets in hand, but Malinga’s late flurry turned the match dramatically as the Sri Lankan paceman claimed Shaun Pollock (13), Andrew Hall (0), Kallis (86), and Makhaya Ntini (0) in consecutive deliveries, to claim the first four-ball hat-trick in one-day international or Test cricket history.
Clint McKay vs England (2013)
Australia paceman Clint McKay took his hat trick in the fourth one-day international against England in Cardiff. McKay trapped Kevin Pietersen for 5, then enticed edges to the slip cordon from Jonathan Trott and Joe Root to reduce England to 8-3 at Sophia Gardens on Saturday.
As it turned out later, his hat-trick was not enough for Australia as England chased down the 228-run target with three wickets in hand. He became only the fifth Australian to take three wickets in successive balls in ODIs, and the 34th player in the history of the format.