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First over hat-trick

IRFAN PATHAN became the first player in almost 130 years of Tests to take a hat-trick in the first over of a match yesterday.

Pathan gave India a great start in the third and final Test against Pakistan in Karachi by taking wickets on the last three balls of his first over.

The left-arm seamer struck after India captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to bowl on a greenish, seaming wicket at the National Stadium.

Pathan had Salman Butt caught by Dravid at first slip, trapped stand-in captain Younis Khan leg before and clean bowled Mohammad Yousuf.

The 21-year-old joins Harbhajan Singh as the only Indian to claim a hat-trick in Test cricket. Off-spinner Harbhajan achieved the feat against Australia in Kolkata in 2001.

Pathan's feat was the 36th instance of a Test hat-trick, but the first time it has happened in the opening over of the match.

Thomas Matthews and Hugh Trumble of Australia, and Wasim Akram of Pakistan have achieved the feat twice.

The rattle of wickets at the start of the match contrasted sharply with the high-scoring draws in the first two Tests in Lahore and Faisalabad.

Source: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au