Moeen Ali’s recent memorable hat-trick for England against South Africa in the third Investec Test was the SECOND by a Worcestershire player at The Oval.
The first County player to achieve that feat was another spinner in leg break bowler Roly Jenkins 69 years earlier.
Jenkins registered his hat-trick in the first innings of a County Championship match versus Surrey on July 7-9 1948.
His victims were Bernard Constable (4), Eric Bedser (0) and Stuart Surridge (0) in a match Worcestershire won by eight wickets.
Incredibly, Jenkins was to take TWO hat-tricks in the same match – also against Surrey – at New Road the following season.
The match took place from August 27-30 – Sunday, August 28 was a rest day – and Worcestershire again came out on top, this time by 109 runs.
Surridge (0) was again the final victim of Jenkins’ first innings hat-trick after John Parker (57) and Alec Bedser (0) – brother of Eric.
Then second around it was Michael Barton (1), Arthur McIntyre (0) and, again, Alec Bedser (0) who fell prey to Jenkins skills in one, two, three blast.
Jenkins ended his career with 1,309 first class wickets at an average of 23.64 and 10,073 first class runs.
*Thanks to Andrew Thomas, author of ‘Pears 150′ for supplying the above information. Pears 150 can still be purchased on matchdays from the Supporters’ Association Shop at the back of the Basil D’Oliveira Stand, priced £28.
