London: Moeen Ali chose a fine time to make both personal and cricket history after his first hat-trick at any level sealed England’s 239-run win in the third Test against South Africa at the Oval here Monday.
A match imbued with historical significance – this was the 100th Test at The Oval – saw off-spinner Ali create some of his own. His was just the 14th England hat-trick at this level and the first in south London ground the Oval’s 127-year history as a Test venue. Ali dismissed Dean Elgar, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel off three successive deliveries.
“I’ve never taken a hat-trick in any sort of cricket,” said the 30-year-old Ali. “I’ve scored a few hat-tricks in football warm-ups, but this is a different sort of feeling … a better feeling,” added the bearded player with a beaming smile.
England captain Joe Root said: “It was a special way to finish, and quite a fitting one in the 100th Test here, and summed up a really good week for us.”
Ali, England’s lone specialist spinner at the Oval, has now taken 18 wickets this series and 116 in his Test career in total. Not that England will care if Ali, who had innings figures of four for 45 on Monday, keeps taking wickets.
“Mo quite likes having that feeling of having maybe a little bit less pressure,” explained Root. “When we need to take wickets in the fourth innings of a Test match, he’s always been able to do it,” he added.