England's Charlie Dean joins exclusive list with unlikely hat-trick against South Africa
Dec 09, 2024
Durban [South Africa], December 9 : England spinner joined an elite group, becoming just the third player to bag an ODI hat-trick for the team in her team's fine six-wicket victory over South Africa at Durban.
With this win, England has levelled the three-match ODI series 1-1. Dean became just the third England women's player to claim a hat-trick in ODIs as she collected the superb figures of 4/45 in the resounding ICC Women's Championship triumph.
The hat-trick was completed across two of Dean's overs, with the off-spinner taking the key scalp of Marizanne Kapp with the final delivery of the 17th over before dismissing Nadine de Klerk and Sinalo Jafta on the opening two balls of the 19th over.
"I did not even realise I had a hat-trick so it was great to find that out afterwards," Dean admitted after the match as quoted by ICC.
"I am pleased with my game at the moment. I am still learning and growing but I am becoming more consistent in how I am going about things," she added.
It saw Dean become the first English women to take an ODI hat-trick since Clare Connor did against India in Northampton in 1999, with compatriot Carole Hodges (against Denmark in 1993) the only previous player to have done so.
Four English men have completed the feat, with Steven Finn, Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff and James Anderson the quartet of players to have picked up an ODI hat-trick.
Dean's heroics saw England dismiss South Africa for just 135, with Chloe Tryon (45 in 49 balls, with eight fours), skipper Laura Wolvaardt (35 in 50 balls, with five fours) and Annerie Dercksen (29 in 44 balls, with four boundaries) being the only ones to touch the double digits. The European side raced to victory within 24 overs in reply as Tammy Beaumont (34 in 52 balls with five fours), Maia Bouchier (33 in 36 balls, with six fours) and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (25*in 23 balls, with two fours) ensured the series was leveled at 1-1 ahead of the series decider in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.
