IT took 13-year-old Osbaldwick cricketer Alex Hay just two overs to achieve something many of the world's best players never experience during their professional career.

Hay claimed a hat-trick for Osbaldwick seconds in their Hunters York & District Senior League division four central clash at Copmanthorpe after being thrown the ball for the first time in men's cricket.

Amazingly, only a dropped catch denied him four successive victims as a shell-shocked Copmanthorpe's wickets tumbled to Hay's swinging, medium-pace deliveries.

The Archbishop's Holgate pupil, who took up the sport four years ago, also plays for Osbaldwick under 13s and is a big fan of Yorkshire and England star Ryan Sidebottom.

Recalling his son's conquering of the Copmanthorpe batting order, dad Andrew said: "He only started scoring for the second team in June and, before his hat-trick, he had played about three games when the team were short of players.

"At Copmanthorpe, during his first over, Jim Arnold, who was in the paper for getting 79 not out, hit him for 16 runs and the captain was going to take him off because he didn't want to ruin Alex's confidence. But Alex said: 'No, I want another go'.

"His first two balls in the second over then went for singles before Jim Arnold hit one up in the air but the catch was dropped. He bowled the other batsman with the next ball, got the next one LBW and, for the last one, the fielder took a good catch close in.

"He was a big lad and he threw Alex up in the air like a Teddy Bear to celebrate."

Hay finished with figures of 3-19 from his two overs and has since taken another wicket for the team.