Sydney, March 18 (IANS): South Africa all-rounder JP Duminy clinched the second hat-trick of the 2015 cricket World Cup to become the eight bowler to do so in the history of the event.
Earlier, England pacer Steven Finn had claimed the first hat-trick in this year’s edition against Australia on February 14 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Off-spinner Duminy got his first wicket on the last delivery of the 32nd over and then followed it up with dismissals on the first two balls of the 34th over, helping his side bowl out Sri Lanka for a paltry 133 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
His first scalp was Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews (19), when he chipped down the track trying to whip a flighted ball from outside the off-stump but only managed to hit straight to Faf du Plessis.
Nuwan Kulasekara was the next man to go, caught behind as he poked outside the off-stump, only to edge it.
The 30-year-old claimed the hat-trick when debutant Tharindu Kaushal was adjudged leg before wicket as he misread the line and was caught plumb in front of the stumps.
Duminy became the eight bowler to bag a hat-trick during the mega event while it was the ninth instance.
It all began as far back in 1987 when India pacer Chetan Sharma claimed the first hat-trick of the quadrennial event against New Zealand. Pakistan’s spin legend Saqlain Mushtaq got it 12 years later against Zimbabwe at The Oval in England.
Former Sri Lanka fast-bowler Chaminda Vaas claimed his prize in South Africa in 2003 against minnows Bangladesh while former Australia pace great Brett Lee too picked up three consecutive wickets against Kenya in the same edition by giving away just 14 runs in a Super Six tie.
Sri Lanka's fast bowling spearhead Lasith Malinga has claimed it twice. In 2007, he took four wickets in four balls against South Africa and followed it up in 2011 against Kenya where he bundled out the last three batsmen off consecutive deliveries.
West Indies pacer Kemar Roach also has a hat-trick to his name which he scalped against the Netherlands in the same year.