I once played in a game where a friend of mine got eight wickets. I thought that was pretty impressive, but Josh Fox, a 13-year-old Cambridgeshire schoolboy from Chatteris in England is even more impressive. Young Josh managed to take two hat-tricks in one game and they happened in successive overs too.

Josh wrote his name into the record books by taking the two hat-tricks in successive overs, and in the process, obviously helped bowl his team to victory.

The young man didn’t even concede a run in the two wicket-taking overs that helped his team whittle the opposition out for just 14.

The achievement is extremely rare in professional cricket, let alone school leagues and appears to have only happened a few times in English first-class cricket history. The cricket bible Wisden records only three instances since 1864.

Josh told The Cambs Times:

I was just bowling straight and aiming for the feet. I was gobsmacked. I have never played in a game like that and it’s probably the only time I ever will.

His mum, Marie Fox, was equally impressed with the feat and added:

I was on the phone to his dad at the time telling him how Josh was doing. I saw him take the first one, then another, and he just kept going before I could get off the phone. He just got on with it really and he didn’t take any praise.

We’re a cricketing family – and he’d love to play professionally when he’s older.

Remarkably, just two weeks ago, left-arm spinner Will Holmes, a 15-year-old schoolboy did the same thing to secure victory for his club Woodford against Greater Manchester rivals Stockport Georgians. Not quite as impressive as Josh, Will finished with figures of six wickets for 18 runs.

Will explained:

At the time, it looked like we were going to lose but my first hat-trick gave us a real boost. I never thought in my wildest dreams I would repeat it.

Well done Josh and Will. Keep it in the block hole.

[Source: BBC]