SPARE a thought for the man batting at five, who would have had to quickly pad up after Joe Leach claimed a hat-trick with the first three balls of a match on the weekend.

Leach’s heroics still weren’t enough to set up a victory for Worcestershire in their Royal London One-Day Cup game against Northamptonshire, slipping to a 21-run defeat.

The seamer had Richard Levi and Richard Keogh caught behind by wicketkeeper Ben Cox before Ben Duckett flashed the next delivery to Jack Shantry in the gully.

Watch the hat-trick in the video below

Chaminda Vaas became the first player in Test matches or ODIs to take three wickets with the opening three deliveries, doing so against Bangladesh in the 2003 World Cup.

The Sri Lanka paceman bowled Hannan Sarkar first up and then took a return catch to dismiss Mohammad Ashraful before Ehsanul Haque poked to Mahela Jayawardene in the slip cordon.

Northants were left reeling by Leach’s burst, with 3-0 soon becoming 6-19 when Shantry removed Alex Wakely, David Willey and Steven Crook before the eighth over had been completed.

Rory Kleinveldt (33), Josh Cobb (32), Graeme White (27) and Olly Stone (12no) showed some resistance, though, as the Steelbacks battled to 126 all out — a total that proved to be beyond Worcestershire.

Northants paceman Azharullah claimed 4-22 as the Pears were dismissed for 105 in exactly 31 overs to lose by 21 runs, Cox’s 36 and a 10-ball 21 from Leach not enough for the hosts in a crazy encounter.

Leach said afterwards: “I can’t quite believe I’m stood here after we’ve lost that game.

“Obviously the first three balls were an unbelievable feeling. I never thought something like that would happen, but I’m a bit gutted at the moment at the way the rest of the game has gone.”