James Shannon joined an elite band of Irish cricketers who have taken a wicket with their first ball in international cricket when he trapped Haseeb Amjad lbw to seal Ireland's 85 run win against Hong Kong and automatic World Cup qualification.

We take a look at the three others who have achieved this rare feat.

The first was James Patrick 'J.P.' Maxwell of Dublin University way back in 1883 against the  M.C.C. at Lords, a game won by the M.C.C by 4 wickets when Ireland allowed them an extra half hour to score 85.

This was Ireland's first match since1879 and their first defeat at Lords on their 6th visit. Maxwell and four others were making their debut.

Maxwell was chosen as a batsman and made 9 and 69. He therefore had quite a debut. On the first day in fine weather and on a good pitch Ireland made 173 and M.C.C. had reached 211 for 6 - recovering from 134-6.

Next morning Maxwell bowled for the first time, the 5th bowler used by Ireland. He bowled the second over of the day (with the score still on 211) and the M.C.C. No. 7, F.W.Maude, was caught at the wicket by J.E.Adair for 63.

Maxwell bowled 5 overs and took 1 for 17 in M.C.C.'s total of 331. He did not bowl at all in the 2nd Innings.

There are two further coincidences to James Shannon - Maxwell was also 23 when he got his first wicket, and like Shannon was employed in the legal profession.

He was a very successful barrister who was working right up to his death at the age of 83 in 1947.

The second player to achieve the feat was also in the legal profession - Belfast born Tom Cloudon Ross was a solicitor, who moved from Belfast to play for Phoenix in Dublin.

Ross  had a  dream start to his 20 cap Irish career against the South Africans at Rathmines in late July 1894.

This was the first South African team ever to make a tour abroad. Although they won 12 out of 24 matches they failed to attract the English public and only received £500 in gate money for the whole season.

Their three best players were wicket keeper EA Halliwell, batsman COH Sewell, who later played for Gloucestershire, and slow bowler G Rowe. CL Johnson, the ex Dublin University and Ireland player, had gone to South Africa the previous year for health reasons. He had now returned as a member of this touring team. I

n 1896 Johnson played in a Test Match for South Africa against England at Johannesburg - Sir TCO'Brien being a member of the England side in the same match.

A surprise absentee from the Irish team was William Harrington who had taken 6 wickets in the I Zingari game. Browning won the toss and batted. It might have been wiser to field because the wicket was treacherous and the ball turned and got up a bit. But for a timely 68 by W.D.Hamilton Ireland would have been out for less than 100. As it was they reached a disappointing 153.

The South Africans began badly, Routledge being caught at point by WD Hamilton off the first ball Tom.Ross ever bowled for Ireland.

Ross was a remarkable bowler. Tall, and with a high action, he has often been described as an off spinner. In fact he was far more than that. Opening the bowling at medium pace, he bowled inswingers and off cutters, mixed with a finger spun off break, all delivered without discernible change of action.

He was probably the nearest Ireland had to Sidney Barnes, though he lacked the great man's variety, bloody mindedness and, probably, killer instinct. A master of the art of bowling on a soft wicket, Ross varied his pace more skilfully than most.

His contemporaries rated him highly. "The most interesting bowler I ever saw, " wrote Jack Gwynn, who, opening the batting for Dublin University for five seasons, faced the best bowlers in Ireland, as well as several English county attacks, Oxford and Cambridge and the raw pace of 'Tibby' Cotter of the 1905 Australians.

Pat Hone thought Tom was Ireland's best ever bowler, with the possible exception of Jimmy Boucher. Writing now, just over 50 years after Hone, and, almost 100 years after Ross bowled his last ball for Ireland, it is clear that he still ranks among the best half dozen to have peeled off an Irish sweater to begin a spell for his country.

The third player is of a more recent vintage and needs little introduction to Irish cricket fans - WK McCallan - Kyle - Ireland's most capped player in their 158 year history, making 226 appearances.

Then at Cliftonville, McCallan enjoyed a successful debut in 1996 against Wales at Rathmines. This was the last of the three day matches (not first class) against Wales in a series which had resumed in 1971. It ended in a draw in Ireland's favour.

McCallan made his debut as a batsman, as a substitute for Michael Rea. He opened in both innings scoring 17 and 26. Ireland, sent in, batted all the first day reaching 289-5 declared. At lunch on the second day Wales had reached 140 for 5 and Ireland had used six bowlers.

McCallan, an off-spinner, was the 7th bowler used for the 54th Over, coming on at 217-6 from the Mount Pleasant end.

Stev Jenkins, Wales number four, had reached 72 in 193 minutes. He chipped McCallan's first ball to Mark Patterson at cover. McCallan bowled to the end of the innings (258). In 9.5 Overs he took 3 for 10 with 5 Maidens. He took his second wicket in his 4th Over and ended the innings in his 10th Over.

In the second innings he was again the 7th Bower used and took 2-34 in 10 Overs. Two weeks later McCallan opened against M.C.C. at Malahide and scored 100. He was 20 years of age at the time.

By the time he called time on his career in the shamrock 13 years later, he had taken 256 wickets and scored 3616 runs.

He is still not only one of the leading all rounders ever to have represented the country, but also, perhaps, the most versatile and adaptable. He came into the Irish side as an opening batsman, good enough to score a century in only his second match, and a bowler of occasional off spin.

As his career developed, he moved down the order, sometimes coming in as low as No 9, but developed his bowling to become a key member of the attack, particularly in limited overs matches, where his accuracy and variation are such that he was able to put the brakes on the most fluent of innings.

As a batsman at international level, he cut out strokes which were not guaranteed to bring him runs, making full use of those that did. He was thus capable of batting effectively and scoring quickly against most attacks. "An intelligent situation batsman, " in the words of another highly regarded all rounder Paul McCrum who further describes Kyle as, "A top class off spinner with a variety of flight and pace."

Latterly, having retired from the international scene, Kyle has shone in both disciplines for Waringstown thus fulfilling the dictum of the great England all rounder Trevor Bailey really to be classed as an all rounder a cricketer must be fully worth his place as both a batsman and a bowler. Few watchers at The Lawn, or anywhere else from Cork to Eglinton, would deny Kyle that description.

His decision to retire from the international game at the end of the 2009 season was widely regretted but also appreciated. Family and career reasons had to take precedence . He is Head of Physical Education at Belfast's Grosvenor Grammar School where Andrew White is also on the staff and several prominent young cricketers are to be found in the student body.

Honours also came his way on his retirement. The award of the MBE for services to cricket was seen as well deserved as was the University of Ulster's Distinguished Graduate Award, by receiving which he joined such notables as author and former hostage Brian Keenan and MP and former labour Minister Kate Hoey.

How should William Kyle McCallan MBE be remembered for his deeds on the cricket field? Perhaps no better accolade can be found than that paid by Paul McCrum, one well qualified to speak on a fellow cricketer's abilities:

"A top team man whether in the ranks or leading from the front, his longevity, work rate and skill were to be admired and aspired to by any young cricketer in Ireland or further afield."

As you can see, James Shannon is certainly in pretty illustrious company - let's hope his deeds in Irish colours match those of the three he has joined in taking a wicket with his first delivery.