Mitchell Starc warmed up for the Ashes series by becoming the first bowler to take two hat-tricks in one Sheffield Shield match.
Starc sealed a 171-run victory for New South Wales when he completed his second hat-trick of their Shield match against Western Australia on Tuesday.
Having removed Jason Behrendorff, David Moody and Simon Mackin in the Warriors’ first innings to complete his first career hat-trick, the left-armer eyed the unfathomable on Tuesday when he removed Behrendorff and Moody again off the final two deliveries of his 15th over.
WA No 6 Jono Wells then edged to Australia captain Steve Smith at first slip to send the Blues into rapturous celebrations and end the match.
The 27-year-old paceman has played 36 Tests and 71 first-class matches without getting the prestigious breakthrough.
No bowler has ever previously taken two hat-tricks in one Sheffield Shield match before, while it’s only been done on seven previous occasions in first-class cricket.
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Photo: Julian Smith/EPA/BackpagePix
