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In Belhus CC senior matches, only four bowlers have taken more than one hat trick - Jim Robertson, Gary Sanderson, Bob Garner and Ricki Ellis (whose first hat trick was against Woodford Green CC for the 2nd XI on 12th June 2010 and then, just one week later, having been promoted to the 1st XI, he took another against Old Brentwoods CC. Brilliant).
Not one 'all-bowled' hat trick has ever been taken in a Test match but the feat has been achieved by Belhus bowlers on 3 occasions in senior matches. Mandrake Khan was the first in 1985 (when, astonishingly, all of the victims in his 8 for 29 for the 2nd XI against Becontree CC were clean-bowled), followed by Jim Robertson for the 1st XI against Tillingham CC in 1997, then by Chris Baker for the 2nd XI against Ongar CC in August 2009.
The club's first-ever hat trick was taken by Greg Arendse in 1960 when he took the last 2 wickets in the 1st XI match against Stanton CC on 26th June, followed by a wicket with his very first delivery in his next match against Elmford CC thirteen days later on 9th July.
Graham Cunliffe took the first hat trick in a single match - for the 2nd XI against Cranham CC in 1962 - but he finished on the losing side! And when Jim Banner took his hat trick against Eastwood CC in 2001, he was assisted by two superb stumpings by wicketkeeper Paul Huckstepp. And our youngest bowler to take a hat trick in a senior match is Seth Coelho (at just 13 years 91 days) for the 5th XI v Chelmsford CC in 2019. Richard Harvey took 6 for 15 from 16 overs when performing his hat trick against Little Thurrock CC in 1981. Spinner Cliff Cansdale joined the hat trick club in 1993 when taking 7 for 12 against Pitsea CC. In 1994, Mathew Lewis Snr took 6 for 5 when he generated a good deal of pace in producing his hat trick against Britannic Lodge CC and his Dad, John Lewis Snr, took an astonishing 7 for 10 when he performed his hat trick against Tilbury CC in 1982.
Astonishingly, both Gary Sanderson and Matthew Williams took hat tricks in the very same innings - for the 2nd XI against Harlow CC on 14th May 2016. The feat of two different bowlers taking hat tricks in the same innings has never been achieved in League Club Cricket in the UK nor in Test, ODI or First Class matches so we salute their magnificent national record.
Gary Sanderson (left) and Matthew Williams
Hat tricks in the same innings - a national record
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Hat Tricks in Senior Matches
Greg Arendse
1st XI v Stanton CC 26th June 1960 and v Elmford CC on 9th July 1960
(Greg took the last 2 Stanton wickets on 26th June followed by a wicket with his first ball against Elmford on 9th July)
Graham Cunliffe
2nd XI v Cranham CC 3rd June 1962
Keith Davis
1st XI v Becontree CC 31st August 1969
Bob Young
2nd XI v St Chad's CC 21st August 1971
Peter Cline
2nd XI v Rainham CC 16th July 1972
Bob Clarke
2nd XI v Royal College of Music CC 30th August 1976
Bob Garner
2nd XI v Conway CC 8th May 1977
(4 wickets in 4 balls)
Bob Garner
2nd XI v Panalpina CC 6th June 1977
(4 wickets in 4 balls)
Richard Harvey
2nd XI v Little Thurrock CC 12th September 1981
John Lewis Snr
2nd XI v Tilbury CC 6th June 1982
Jim Robertson
3rd XI v Benfleet CC 16th July 1983
Andy Armit
2nd XI v Fords CC 30th July 1983
Mandrake Khan
2nd XI v Becontree CC 29th July 1985
Gary Plane
2nd XI v Bow Rovers CC 22nd June 1986
Cliff Cansdale
2nd XI v Pitsea CC 7th August 1993
Mathew Lewis Snr
2nd XI v Britannic Lodge CC 18th June 1994
Kevin Horsey
2nd XI v South Ockendon Hospital CC 21st August 1994
John Forrest
2nd XI v Clacton CC 11th June 1995
Jim Robertson
1st XI v Tillingham CC 24th August 1997
Jim Banner
Midweek XI v Eastwood CC 9th August 2001
Chris Baker
2nd XI v Ongar CC 22nd August 2009
Ricki Ellis
2nd XI v Woodford Green CC 12th June 2010
Ricki Ellis
1st XI v Old Brentwoods CC 19th June 2010
George Maidment
5th XI v Hainault & Clayhall CC 10th August 2013
Gary Sanderson
1st XI v Westcliff-on-Sea CC 21st June 2014
Gary Sanderson
2nd XI v Harlow CC 14th May 2016
Matthew Williams
2nd XI v Harlow CC 14th May 2016
Ashir Saleem
3rd XI v Chelmsford CC 22nd June 2019
Seth Coelho
5th XI v Chelmsford CC 13th July 2019
Sahan Nanayakkara
1st XI v Brentwood CC 10th July 2021
Aftab Mohamed
5th XI v Billericay CC 10th July 2021
Tilly Barnett
5th XI v Hornchurch CC 28th May 2022
Tyler Robertson
3rd XI v Orsett CC 24th September 2022
Joe Joyce
1st XI v Old Brentwoods CC 24th June 2023
Ben Gladman
4th XI v Southend-on-Sea & EMT CC 2nd September 2023
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North Stifford Village Green
Hat Trick Club
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