Taking forward Female Cricket’s series of statistical analyses, here are the top 5 ODI hattricks by Women Cricketers –
5) Clare Connor (vs India – 1999)
A decent English all-rounder, Connor was a more than average No. 3 batswoman and a good bowler who could squeeze the run rate as well as pick wickets. In the 93 ODIs she played, Connor picked 80 wickets at 26.01 with her best figures of 5/49 against India, where she took her first-ever hattrick and the 2nd by an English woman. Her wickets included some big names like Rupanjali Shastri, Hemlata Kala, and the swashbuckling Anjum Chopra. However, her hattrick went in vain as England couldn’t chase the target set by the Indians.
4) Julie Harris (vs West Indies – 1993)
An instance of another top-order batsman picking a hattrick in Women’s ODI. It was the 2nd ODI hattrick in Women’s ODI history, and it just came after 6 days after the first. Bowling first New Zealand had made early inroads in the West Indies batting, with the scoreboard reading 69/6. With the tail wagging a bit, it took some effort to clean them up and that exactly what Julie did. She cleaned the tail up at bowled out West Indies for 96.
3) Masabata Klaas (vs Pakistan – 2019)
Masabata Klaas, a right-arm medium bowler is the 3rd on our list of Top 5 ODI hat-tricks in Women’s ODI. With a decade long experience under her belt, she is an impactful bowler in Proteas’ bowling line up. Earlier this year, she picked up her first ODI Hattrick (10th overall in Women’s ODI history). With the Pakistan building on a good start and some decent middle-order contributions, they were looking for something big instead of a middle-order collapse. Klaas with her usual best ended Pakistan’s hopes of a big target and from 146-5, they eventually were bowled out for 147. Such was the impact of Klaas.
2) Rumana Ahmed (vs Ireland – 2016)
Rumana Ahmed is in the Bangladesh circuit since 2011. The Bangladeshi all-rounder picked up her 1st hattrick against Ireland in Belfast. It was always an uphill task to defend a mediocre score of 106. Ireland started cautiously, but a lower middle-order collapse triggered them to fall apart and eventually lose the game. Rumana’s spell was the game-changing and the most defining moment of the game.
1) Saibh Young (vs England – 2001)
Well, a score of 116 to defend against a mighty English side in their home country and yet to pull off a victory isn’t something we see every day. An inspired spell by Young in the middle, by dismissing England’s top 3 batswomen set the platform for the Irish victory. A game-changing spell in the context of the game makes it to the top of this list. This by far is one of the most underrated spells in the Women’s ODI history.
