Congratulations to Form 2 pupil Magnus who achieved the very rare feat of a hat-trick in cricket in the U13A fixture against Oundle.
Cricket coach Patrick Latham tells us more:-
“Oakham batted first and after a slightly under par score in the first innings of just 88 in 20 overs, Magnus took the new ball and ran with purpose. He bowled with a perfect line and length which saw the Oundle opener stuck to the crease as the ball darted through his defences and crashed into the middle stump. Spirits high after such an unexpected early breakthrough, the Oundle number 3 tentatively took guard. Coinciding with the end of normal Lower School games, a crowd had developed as the athletes and tennis players passed on their return to Lower School. Magnus’s second ball was a carbon copy of the first as, with limited movement by the batsman, the stumps were rearranged, again to cheers from players and spectators alike. Two in a row and the Oundle number 4 was still rushing to get his pads on. When a bowler manages to get two wickets in two balls, there is always excited chatter about a hat-trick, and everyone tunes in more closely for the hat-trick ball. All set, Magnus again ran in for the delivery with menace this time, repeating the previous two deliveries in terms of line, length, and pace and with exactly the same result, a perfect delivery, possibly the best of the three, nipping away from the Oundle batter and hitting the top of the off stump. Cue wild celebrations and many congratulations all round. A hat-trick is unusual; a hat-trick of the first three balls of an innings is even more rare, but for a bowler to hit the stumps off the first three balls of an innings is very uncommon and a hugely special moment for the bowler and all those lucky enough present to see it.
As if a hat-trick earlier in the game was not enough, Magnus took a further two wickets, again hitting the stumps twice in two balls and setting up the possibility of a second hat-trick in the game.
For Magnus, to finish with 5 wickets for 5 runs in 4 overs on the winning side was a wonderful achievement. It was also fantastic that Adrian Morris, Head of Lower School, was on the ground and able to present the match ball to Magnus at the conclusion of the game.”
