Starc scripts history with two hat-tricks in same match

Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc on Tuesday became the first bowler in nearly four decades and only the second Australian to claim two hat-tricks in the same first-class match.

Playing for New South Wales, Starc brushed up his preparations for the upcoming Ashes series, when he blasted out Western Australia's last three batsmen to help his side to a 171-run win at the Hurstville Oval here on Tuesday, according to an espncricinfo report.

After going wicketless in the second innings up to that point, Starc had Jason Behrendorff caught behind and then bowled David Moody with the last two balls of his 15th over, then returned to have Jon Wells caught at slip by NSW captain Steven Smith with the first ball of his 16th over.

This hat-trick followed another on day three of the Sheffield Shield match, when he had dismissed Behrendorff, Moody and Simon Mackin in the first innings.

Starc's feat was the first instance since Amin Lakhani managed to do the same for a Combined XI against India in a warm up match at Multan in Pakistan in 1978.

Overall only seven other bowlers have achieved this feat, and only one Australian T.J. Matthews did so against South Africa at Manchester in 1912.

Matthews' feat is also the only time two hat-tricks have been taken by a bowler in the same Test match.

--IANS

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