It was May 1912, the memory of the Titanic disaster was still fresh, a UK transport strike was looming, the Home Rule Bill for ireland was going through parliment and millitant suffragettes led by Emmeline Pankhurst were busy smashing windows in London's West End. With such a hectic news agenda, it's understandable that cricket wasn't featuring prominently in most people's physche.
It's a shame because Aus were playing SA at manchester and one of the players, Australia's little known leg spinner Jimmy Matthews turned in a performance never seen in a test match before or since.
The match - part of a triangular tournament between Aus, SA and Eng - saw Matthew's side take control from the outset. Responding to the Aussie's 448, the springboks (the former nicname for SA) gradually clawed themselves towards the 298 needed to avoid the follow-on but were 265-7 when matthews was invited to have a go.
He promptly beat R Beaumont with a fizzer that took off-stump, trapped SJ Pegler lbw with his next ball and immediately followed this by dissmissing TA ward the same, hence wrapping up the innings.
SA were duly sent in again and had reached a dismal 70-5, when once again Matthews got the nod from the skipper. he bowled HW taylor almost immediately, fired out the next man, RO Schwarz, with a brilliant caught and bowled; and discovered the enw man at the crease was the hapless Ward, facing a hat-trick ball the second time in the match.
The rest is history. Fielders crowded around the crease, matthews bowled, ward prodded, the ball popped up into the air, the fielding side did goldfish impressions, and matthews decided he couldn't leave the responsibility to anyone else. He dived the full length of the pitch to take a catch inches from the ground. A fantastic achievement without a doubt, but one which Matthews failed to build on. he only played 8 test for Aus, taking 16 wickets.
Next on the list of all-time hattrick heroes must be Pakistan's Wasim Akram, who managed the feat twice in two weeks in 1998/99 Asian Test Championship, first at lahore and then again at Dhaka.
hehehehhee good point raised here but i am sure jaspreet!!! if only you are given a chance out there you might be better than many who knowz? _________________ BHARAT HUM KO JAAN SE PIYARA HAI
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but i am sure jaspreet!!! if only you are given a chance out there you might be better than many 
who knowz? 
