A history of House hat-tricks

With Francois taking a hat-trick he didn’t even know about at the Worsley Cup final 2021, I thought I’d do a bit of research about Lowerhouse hat-tricks. Are they rare? Has anyone got a lot? Who knows?

According to Wikipedia: In cricket, a hat-trick occurs when a bowler takes three wickets with consecutive deliveries. The deliveries may be interrupted by an over bowled by another bowler from the other end of the pitch or the other team’s innings, but must be three consecutive deliveries by the individual bowler in the same match. Only wickets attributed to the bowler count towards a hat-trick; run outs do not count.

Hat-tricks are rare, and as such are treasured by bowlers.

The origin of the expression is said to date from around the time Lowerhouse was founded when colleagues or supporters bought a bowler a new hat, if he got three wickets in a row so Frankie should be given a new cap, or bowler hat from someone… Any takers?

The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three wickets with three consecutive deliveries. Fans held a collection for Stephenson, and presented him with a hat bought with the proceeds. The term was used in print for the first time in 1865 in the Chelmsford Chronicle. The term was eventually adopted by many other sports

Thanks to the great Lancashire League website, we have a log of all hat-tricks in Lancashire League, Worsley Cup, Twenty20 and the now extinct, Interleague Cup. No Lowerhouse player has one in the latter two competitions (yet, I may add).

The archive shows that Lowerhouse have been involved in games with 28 hat-tricks, with most of them (19) being on the receiving end. Lowerhouse have only ever had 9 recorded hat-tricks in their history.

Francois Haasbroek’s Worsley Cup hat-trick is the first in 99 years in the competition since William Cook in 1922. Probably due to being caught up in the furore of jubilant celebration Francois didn’t even notice he’d got a hat-trick, given his first wicket was taken on the last ball of his penultimate over.

Although there has been 9 Lowerhouse hat-tricks there is only 5 players who have taken them for the club. 6 taken by professionals and only 3 by amateurs.

Benjamin Gregory took two in 1900 and 1901, whilst professional at the club.

Jez Hope took two hat-tricks in 3 years, in 1996 in a win against Rawtenstall at the Worswick Memorial Ground and 1999 in a win at home against Enfield, in which Martin van Jaarsveld scored a match winning 125 not out. Lancashire Evening Telegraph wrote in their report on that day:

Lowerhouse revived their title challenge by crushing Enfield at Liverpool Road thanks to a hat-trick from Jez Hope and a brilliant unbeaten century from Martin Van Jaarsveld.

Chasing Enfield’s total of 186 all out, Van Jaarsveld was in imperious form, striking 24 fours and one six on his way to 125 not out.

He helped put on 83 for the second wicket with skipper Nicky Hope (21) and then shared a fourth wicket stand of 79 with Simon Payne (28) to lead his side to a six wicket victory.

Earlier in the day, the South African had shared the spotlight with Hope as the Enfield tail collapsed.

 

William Cook, also a professional took two of them in a year in 1922 and one 3 years previous in 1919 and is still the Lowerhouse Player with the most hat-tricks. Unfortunately for Lowerhouse, Edgar Hyde a Colne player took 2 hat-tricks against us in one year in 1923. Here’s a picture of Billy, when he took all 10 wickets in a game in 1914

The other hat-trick was taken by pro Evan Gray in 1982 against Haslingden.

Out of the 9 games Lowerhouse have got a hat-trick, they’ve won 8 of them – they quite indeed are game changers, when a barrage of wickets puts the opposing team on the back foot.

In conclusion, Jez is the only amateur to get a hat-trick in the league and Frankie in the cup – when will the next one be?

PlayerGameCompetitionYearFor or Against
BB GregoryLowerhouse v EnfieldLeague1900For
SF BarnesBurnley v LowerhouseLeague1901Against
BB GregoryLowerhouse v EnfieldLeague1901For
H HarrisonRawtenstall v LowerhouseLeague1912Against
W CookLowerhouse v RishtonLeague1919For
W CookLowerhouse v EnfieldWC1922For
W CookLowerhouse v EnfieldLeague1922For
E HydeColne v LowerhouseWC1923Against
E HydeColne v LowerhouseLeague1923Against
T CottamEnfield v LowerhouseWC1925Against
T CottamEnfield v LowerhouseLeague1925Against
AE NutterNelson v LowerhouseLeague1945Against
FAW FreerRishton v LowerhouseLeague1948Against
S HallBacup v LowerhouseLeague1949Against
SD DhanawadeAccrington v LowerhouseLeague1956Against
RB JackmanHaslingden v LowerhouseLeague1957Against
Fazal MahmoodEast Lancashire v LowerhouseLeague1958Against
R FishwickChurch v LowerhouseLeague1959Against
EE BanksRishton v LowerhouseLeague1961Against
LC MayneBurnley v LowerhouseLeague1968Against
EJ GrayLowerhouse v HaslingdenLeague1982For
RC HaynesAccrington v LowerhouseLeague1990Against
J HopeLowerhouse v RawtenstallLeague1996For
J HopeLowerhouse v EnfieldLeague1999For
N WestwellChurch v LowerhouseLeague2006Against
PD SeniorTodmorden v LowerhouseT202014Against
JC WynnRamsbottom v LowerhouseLeague2019Against
DF HaasbroekLowerhouse v ClitheroeWC2021For

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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