Shanvitha spins four-some spell

Above: The Lakes' Shanvitha Malkagiri with her mounted four-in-four match ball.

At the age of 12, Shanvitha Malkagiri, from The Lakes Knights, has achieved one of the rarest feats in cricket – a double hat-trick!

The Mango Hill resident took four wickets in four balls playing for Met North against Darling Downs at Marchant Park.

It’s never been done in 148 years of Test cricket, only once in One Day Internationals (by Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga) and seven times in T20 internationals.

Shanvitha’s achievement spanned two overs of the Queensland Representative School Sport Under 12 Girls' State Championship match last month.

The leg spinner dismissed two Darling Downs’ players with the last two balls of her first over, both clean bowled.

She made it a hat-trick thanks to a catch off the first ball of her second over and a double hat-trick next ball, bowling the fourth victim.

The Mango Hill State School student finished with remarkable figures of three overs, one maiden, four wickets for two runs.

Dan Moyle, the Lakes Knights' President, has had the match ball mounted and presented to Shanvitha.

"I couldn’t believe it as I had never even taken a hat-trick before,” she said, “I was very excited and my team was very excited too. 

“I am keen to develop my game further and play at higher level. I train two or three times a week and hope I can keep doing well.”

Met North team coach Nick Hills said of the double hat-trick “all four balls were on a length and attacking the stumps”.

“Shanvitha’s strength is being able to turn the ball and get natural flight - over the next couple of years she can hone those skills,” the Mango Hill State School teacher said.

“Bowling leg spin you know there are going to be bad balls and you will get hit … and take wickets."

Mr Hills said in five years coaching Met North he had only had one leg spinner before and she is now playing first grade cricket.

“Any 12-year-old who can bowl leg spin is to be encouraged,” he said, “there are fantastic pathways for girls and we have a lot coming through Met North.”

Shanvitha is in her first season with Met North and has been selected by Brisbane North Junior Cricket Association for next month’s QJC Southern Challenge.

She is also playing Under 13 Mixed Grade this summer with Knights and for Wilston North Juniors in the Stage 3 Girls’ Under 14 competition.

Shanvitha started playing cricket at the age of six with the Waitakere club in Auckland, New Zealand.

After two years bowling medium pace, she switched to leg spin following a suggestion by her father Remash to “slow it down”.

Shanvitha played for under 11 and under 13 girls’ teams with Waitakere before the family moved to Australia 12 months ago.

Settling in the Moreton Bay region, she joined The Lakes Knights and played Under 12 Mixed Grade last summer and during the recent winter season.