On this day in 2003: Jermaine Lawson takes a hat-trick against Australia
Hattricks have always been a special feat in the game in any format and Jermaine Lawson made an entry into the elite list in 2003 on May 5 in the Barbados Test. The right-arm medium pacer from Jamaica played 13 Tests and as many ODIs for West Indies from 2001 to 2005, and he managed to achieve a rare feat against Australia.
Lawson, towards the end of the first innings, picked up Brett Lee with a brilliant reverse swinging full delivery and immediately dismissed Stuart McGill on the very next delivery of 134th over of the innings. However, skipper Steve Waugh decided to declare the innings at 605 for the loss of nine wickets and Lawson had to end up on a hattrick despite three deliveries remaining in the over and a wicket to go.
West Indies managed 328 in the first innings, and Australia enforced the follow on as well with the deficit being more than 200. In the second innings, West Indies scored 284 but could set a target of just eight runs in the final innings for Australia to chase down. Lawson started the bowling for West Indies in the second inning and he managed to trap Australian opener Justin Langer LBW in front of the wickets in the very first delivery of the innings.
It meant that Lawson picked up one of the rarest hattricks with two wickets coming at the end of the first innings and the final wicket coming at the start of the second innings. Australia clinched the Test and the four-match series 3-0 with the win in the Bridgetown Test and Stuart McGill was awarded the player of the match for his nine wickets in the Test.
