By: Charwayne Walker

SINCE sponsored Regional one-day cricket (the Gillette Cup) started in 1976, eight bowlers have captured hat-tricks.
Andre McCarthy became the first Jamaican to achieve the feat joining Eldine Baptiste, Malcolm Marshall, John (The Dentist) Maynard, Rajendra Dhanraj, Kieron Pollard, Anthony Martin, Sunil Narine and Clinton Pestano.
First to achieve the feat was Antiguan Leeward Islands Eldine (Soca) Baptiste. Playing in the 1982 Geddes Grant Harrison Line final against Barbados at the Antigua Recreation Ground,. Baptiste dismissed Desmond Haynes, Alvin Greenidge and Carlisle Best with consecutive deliveries.
The late great Malcolm Denzil Marshall emulated Baptiste’s feat in 1983 against Guyana at the (Mecca) Kensington Oval. The master victims were William Whyte, Kamal Singh and Roger Harper.

Leeward Islands Nevisian John (The Dentist) Maynard joined the hat-trick list with spectacular debut against Trinidad and Tobago at Grove Park in Charlestown Nevis. His victims were Michael Carew, Narine Bidhesi and Anthony Gray.
Trinidadian leg-spinner Rajendra Dhanraj added his name to the hat-trick list with a sensational performance against Guyana at GCC, Bourda in the 1996 Shell Sandals Final that Trinidad and Tobago won by 9 runs. His victims were Ramnaresh Sarwan, Kenneth Wong and Roger Harper.
Dhanraj’s compatriot Kieron Pollard became the fifth Regional bowler to perform the hat-trick in 2008 vs the Leeward Islands and GCC, Bourda was the venue again. His victims were Wilden Cornwall, Devon Thomas and Justin Athanaze.
Leeward Islands (Antiguan) leg-spinner Anthony Martin was next on the hat-trick list 2010 vs arch rivals Windward Islands at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. Lynden James, Shane Shillingford and Mervin Matthew were his victims.

Another spinner, mystery-man Sunil Narine added his name to the coveted list in February 2018 vs Windward Islands at the 3Ws Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Narine’s victims were Kavern Hodge, Delorn Johnson and Kesrick Williams.
Guyanese fast bowler Clinton Pestano silenced the Brian Lara Academy in October 2018 when he sent packing Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard and the champ Dwayne Bravo with consecutive deliveries – a performance that propelled Guyana to a 75-run victory.
Three years later – 2021 – Jamaican Andre McCarthy had fans in Kingston dancing and fans in Bridgetown crying with a magical spell of 6 for 16 that included a hat-trick. His victims were Ashley Nurse, Akeem Jordan and Chemar Holder. All of this magic happened at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.