On - Out - In - Out - Off

Just in case you're wondering, the title of this post reflects a bowler coming on to bowl, getting one out with their first ball, a new batter coming in, getting them out with the second ball and then coming off as a bowler (in more ways than one!)

Surprisingly to me there have been three instances where a bowler has taken two wickets from just two balls bowled.

The most recent instance was Sam Dickinson against Great Dalby in April 2022.  He concluded their innings with his 2 wickets with their score on 94 and the 4th XI went on to win by just 2 wickets.

Prior to that Arjun Sandhu took his 2 in 2 at Bramcote for the 3rd XI in 2015.  Bramcote were all out after Arjun's bowling for only 53 and lost by 157 runs.

The first instance recorded in Play-Cricket was by Rod Kitching for the 1st XI against Long Eaton in 1984.  Rod bought himself on to bowl with Long Eaton 6 wickets down after batting first and must have been very disappointed when they decided to declare before he could bowl his hat-trick ball.  Even more frustrating would have been the 1st XI's eventual loss by 5 runs.

I guess Sam and Arjun would also have liked the opposition to have had 12 players so they could have tried for a hat-trick.

There have also been 4 occasions where one of our bowlers has only bowled one ball and taken a wicket with it.  All four games resulted in a win for the Squirrels. 

• Martin Rayner for the Sunday 1sts in 2011 against PCCC.
• Matthew Ahluwalia for the 4th XI against Gedling & Sherwood in 2010.
• Peter Bateman for the 2nd XI against Wilsons in 2011.
• Sam Henson for the 4th XI against Shepshed Town in 2010.

The closest that a bowler has come to claiming 3 in 3 is Nick Gibson in 2016 against Collingham.  He took 3 wickets in as many as 6 balls in the 4th XI's 4 wicket win.