Has anyone ever taken a hat-trick with the first three balls of an innings? asks Andrew Stangrave As far I can ascertain no-one has ever taken wickets with the first three balls of any first-class match. The nearest I can find came in a Test, at Harare in 1999-2000, when Nuwan Zoysa of Sri Lanka took a hat-trick with his first three balls of the match, in the second over (Chaminda Vaas bowled the first). Zoysa removed Trevor Gripper lbw, Murray Goodwin caught behind, and Neil Johnson lbw to leave Zimbabwe reeling at 0 for 3 after two overs and about ten minutes. Despite the efforts of Andy Flower, who made 74 and 129 in the match, Zimbabwe never quite recovered, and lost by six wickets.

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