Crook Town Cricket Club bowlers Simon Huscroft and Neil Davies sent the stumps flying on Saturday as both bowlers recorded hat-tricks against Tudhoe in the Readers Durham County League last weekend, writes JOHN PHELAN.

Simon, 22, making his debut for the Crook first XI took five for 28 at Tudhoe and said: "Although I've taken two wickets in two balls before I've never had a hat-trick.

"Their number 11 batsman was facing me on the hat-trick ball so I thought I'd pitch it right up - it did the trick."

For Neil, 31, playing for the second X1 at home to Tudhoe it was his third hat-trick "I've achieved hat-tricks before, one with Hunwick and one with the Crook second X1.

"I already knew Simon had taken a hat-trick so on my hat-trick ball I approached umpire David Crane and asked if two hat-tricks on the same day had been done before.

"He said it hadn't been done here yet so I told him to watch this and the middle stump went back."

Both players may have achieved a piece of Durham County League history.

Ken Harrison, former long-serving secretary of Crook Town CC and now a committee member, said: "I've never known a first team bowler and a second team bowler both taking hat-tricks on the same day."