'Surreal and amazing' - bowler takes double hat-trick

A Staffordshire cricketer has described achieving one of the rarest feats in the game as "a bit surreal" but "amazing" after taking six wickets in six balls.

Fast bowler Myles Davis completed the double hat-trick playing for Penkridge against Pelsall in the Premier Division of the South Staffordshire County League on Saturday., external

After Penkridge had won the toss and made 168 all out, Pelsall, who were without former England spinner Monty Panesar, were 49-2 after eight overs, with Davies having already picked up his first wicket in his third over.

He started the ninth over with a wide before readjusting his radar with devastating effect.

Davis clean bowled two batters with the final two deliveries of his over, sending his watching club-mates scrambling for their mobile phones to film the hat-trick ball at the start of his next one.

That duly arrived to a catch down the legside to the wicketkeeper, before the phones went away - only to come out again after the next batter was bowled.

Davies then knocked out the middle stump of the next batter and sealed his sixth wicket in six balls by removing the off stump of another to leave Pelsall 49-9.

"It's still a bit surreal, but it's an amazing achievement," Davis told BBC Midlands Today.

"I didn't know what to think, to be honest. When the fourth [wicket] happened I was just amazed and it just carried on. I couldn't believe it."

Davis' sensational burst helped him finish with figures of 7-16 from six overs as Penkridge completed a crushing win by 116 runs.

The right-arm quick has joined an exclusive club of bowlers and emulated the feat of 12-year-old Oliver Whitehouse, who took six wickets in six balls playing for Bromsgrove in June 2023.

"We understand this is only the seventh time this has occurred in the world and Myles is the first adult male in the UK to do so," Penkridge chairman John Price said.

"So it's a massive achievement and we're super proud. He's one of our own homegrown juniors coming through, so hats off to him."

Taking hat-tricks is nothing new to electrician Davies, who bagged two last season.

He was only able to play in Saturday's game after a colleague agreed to cover for him.

"A shout-out to my work colleague who covered me so I could actually play," Davis said.

"I don't think there's any topping that.

"I just have to try my best for the rest of the season. If it was to happen again it would be a miracle."