In what was a miserable World Cup opener for England against co-hosts Australia yesterday morning, there was at least a personal highlight for Steven Finn.
While his side were defeated by 111 runs, Finn can look back on an encounter in which he became the eighth bowler to have taken a hat-trick in World Cup history.
Here, Sports Mole has looked back on the seven other bowlers, along with Finn, who have achieved that feat.
1. Chetan Sharma (India) vs. New Zealand, 1987
The Indian became the first ever bowler to claim a World Cup hat-trick in what was the fourth instalment of the tournament. What was unique about the achievement was that Sharma removed middle, leg and off-stump in bowling Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith and Ewen Chatfield.
2. Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan) vs. Zimbabwe, 1999
As Zimbabwe toiled for the loss of seven wickets, Mushtaq showed no mercy. Wicketkeeper Moin Khan stumped both Henry Olonga and Adam Huckle, before Mpumelelo Mbangwa was trapped lbw as Pakistan recorded a routine victory.
3. Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) vs. Bangladesh, 2003
The seamer opened Sri Lanka's bowling and amazingly took his trio wickets with the first three balls of the Bangladesh innings. Hannan Sarkar was bowled, while Mohammad Ashraful was caught and bowled. Then, Ehsanul Haque edged his delivery into the slips, where Mahela Jayawardene was waiting to take the catch.
4. Brett Lee (Australia) vs. Kenya, 2003
Struggling Kenya were 3-0 after 3.3 overs when Lee struck. The Australian paceman bowled Kennedy Otieno and his replacement, Brijal Patel, offered a catch to Ricky Ponting. The hat-trick ball went straight through David Obuya, who had no answer to Lee's brutal pace.
5. Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) vs. South Africa, 2007
Chasing a total of 210 for victory, South Africa were cruising in the 45th over on 205-5. Enter Malinga, who bowled Shaun Pollock with a slower delivery and then had Andrew Hall caught. He not only completed his hat-trick when Jacques Kallis nicked behind, but made it four from four when a yorker took out Makhaya Ntini's middle stump.
6. Kemar Roach (West Indies) vs. Netherlands, 2011
As far as the Dutch side's pads were concerned, Roach had his radar switched on. Both Pieter Seelaar and Bernard Loots were trapped lbw, before last man Berend Westdijk was bowled to seal a 215-run victory for the West Indies.
7. Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) vs. Kenya, 2011
On the same day as Roach, Malinga also claimed a hat-trick, thus becoming the first and only man in history to record two at World Cups. Kenya were already six down when Malinga had Tanmay Mishra out lbw for a duck at the end of the 46th over. Then, upon his return, the paceman saw off Peter Ongondo and Shem Ngoche in successive deliveries.
8. Steven Finn (England) vs. Australia, 2015
No player had ever taken a hat-trick with the final three balls of an innings until Finn struck yesterday. An excellent catch from Stuart Broad removed Brad Haddin, before Glenn Maxwell was caught brilliantly by Joe Root in the deep. Mitchell Johnson came out to face the hat-trick delivery from Finn, which was sent straight to James Anderson at mid-on.
Liam Apicella
