5 players who took a rare hat-trick on international debut

2. Peter Petherick

Peter Petherick with the cricket ball which he used to get a hat-trick in a test match against Pakistan in 1976

Peter Petherick arrived with a bang when he announced himself to the international cricket fraternity in 1976 by a hat-trick on debut against Pakistan at Lahore. Asif Iqbal and debutant Javed Miandad, who would later become Pakistan’s captain and future coach of the national team, had already added 281 for the fifth wicket when Petherick was introduced as the fifth bowler and had Miandad caught at square-leg to end the partnership.

Wasim Raja (caught and bowled) and Inthikhab Alam (caught) followed Miandad back to the pavilion on the next 2 successive deliveries. Raja’s wicket was especially relishing as Petherick was not considered a good fielder but he grabbed on to the catch off his own bowling to the delight of his team-mates. Incidentally, he became the first New Zealand player to record a Test Hat trick and remains the only one to do so besides James Franklin.

However, he did not get any other wicket during the innings and his 16 wickets in his 6 Tests are pointers to the brutal blow he served to those who expected him to rise to greatness after his fantastic debut.