Ali’s winning strikes a first in 115 years
Spinner Moeen Ali has bowled England to victory over South Africa in the third test, claiming the final three wickets in consecutive balls to become just the third bowler to wrap up a test with a hattrick, and the first to do so in 115 years.
After a frenzied appeal, nailbiting review and final finger of doom for batsman Morne Morkel, Ali became the first player to achieve the feat in a test at The Oval and the first English spinner to bag a test hat-trick since Tom Goddard in 1938.
The magnificent spell of bowling yielded a crushing victory for the hosts at the London venue as the Proteas were rolled for 252 to lose by 239 runs. England now lead the four test series 2-1.
There was more embarrassment for South Africa in the defeat with four batsmen out for golden ducks in the second innings, a first in test cricket.
The first of the golden ducks was Faf du Plessis, on day four, but on day five Vernon Philander batting at seven was also out first ball and then at the death to Ali, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel were out without troubling the scorers.
With batting conditions the easiest of the game, and visible patches of rough to exploit, the 30-year-old off-spinner Ali was always likely to be asked to play the lead role on the final day.
He delivered a telling blow with the last ball before lunch, from which Chris Morris was caught by Ben Stokes at slip, and followed up in the 12th over after the interval by having Dean Elgar and Rabada also snaffled by the Durham man before the coup de grace dismissal of Morkel.
‘‘I couldn’t believe it didn’t get given straight away,’’ Stokes said.
‘‘It was a dramatic end to a dramatic day - Dean Elgar hit a really gutsy hundred and it was good to see the back of him, so congratulations to Mo.’’
Ali has taken 18 wickets in the series at an average of under 15 in 2017. These impressive statistics reflect the new-found confidence to deliver slower balls, often tossed up to keep the batsmen guessing.
The more he has been dropped down the order - for this test the former opener came in at number eight - the more he has accepted that his primary role is to take wickets, particularly given England’s decision to dispense with second spinner Liam Dawson at The Oval.
There were times in the second test at Trent Bridge when Ali had seemed underemployed, particularly after his match-winning 10-wicket haul at Lord’s in the first.
Lack of overs is unlikely to be a problem again and, with 116 wickets, he could overhaul spinners Phil Tufnell (121), Ray Illingworth (122) and Phil Edmonds (125) on England’s alltime wicket-taking list by the time the summer is out.
Ali still has a way to go before surpassing Derek Underwood’s 297 victims, but England’s history man will do well to top his Oval performance.