Sailing: Sporting Vernacular 7. HAT-TRICK

PAUL SCHOLES' feat on Saturday in scoring three goals for England ensured that for new coach Kevin Keegan the honeymoon has been extended.

Although the term "hat-trick", is nowadays applied to any sport, it began life on the cricket pitch, around the middle of the last century, when the practise was begun by some clubs of presenting a new hat to any bowler who took three wickets with consecutive balls.

It is thought that it may have originated much earlier - in the game's birthplace, in fact. One of the star bowlers for the Hambledon club, where the sport's first overs were delivered, was David Harris, whose glittering performances were rewarded with the presentation of a gold-laced hat. This was for outstanding bowling in general, not specifically for taking three wickets. That came later.