Bridgetown (Barbados) (AFP) – Chris Jordan took four wickets in five balls, including the third hat-trick of the 2024 T20 World Cup, as defending champions England dismissed the United States for 115 in a Super Eights match in Barbados on Sunday.
Barbados-born Jordan, recalled by England for this match, finished with remarkable figures of 4-10 in 2.5 overs as he became just the second bowler this tournament to take a hat-trick, with Australia’s Pat Cummins achieving the feat against both Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Non-Test nation United States, one of the surprise packages of the event after defeating Pakistan on their way to the second round, were 115-6 when 35-year-old paceman Jordan came onto bowl the 19th over.
His first ball of the over saw Corey Anderson hit a fast and low full toss to Harry Brook at long-on as the former New Zealand all-rounder fell for 29.
Two balls later, Jordan clean bowled Ali Khan for a duck, the off-stump knocked out of the ground.
Next ball Nosthush Kenjige was plumb lbw, despite a desperate review and Jordan then completed his hat-trick — and ended the innings — by bowling Saurabh Netravalkar between bat and pad to remove the number eleven’s middle stump.
Jordan’s hat-trick was the first by an England bowler in a men’s T20 international, with both Nat Sciver-Brunt and Anya Shrubsole taking three in three for the women’s side.
“Unbelievable feeling, more importantly to restrict USA and to do it in a special place like this is always nice,” Jordan told Sky Sports during the innings break. “Been on a hat-trick a few times, nice to get it on target this time.”
The United States were relatively well-placed at 48-2 at the end of the six-over powerplay.
But Adil Rashid then bowled two excellent googlies to dismiss Aaron Jones and Nitish Kumar, whose 30 was the highest score of the innings.
The leg-spinner finished with miserly figures of 2-13, with Jordan saying: “I thought Rashid came and controlled one end for us and really set up the game for us.”
Victory by a significant margin could see England into the last four even before Group Two concludes later Sunday when co-hosts West Indies play South Africa, yet to lose in this tournament, in Antigua. “We’re thinking about the points first and foremost, then we’ll look at net run-rate,” said Jordan.
© 2024 AFP
