On this day in 2017, Moeen Ali became 1st England spinner in 79 years to scalp Test hat-trick

New Delhi [India], July 31 (ANI): On this day in 2017, all-rounder Moeen Ali became England's first spinner in 79 years to scalp a Test hat-trick.
Ali achieved the feat during England's third Test match against South Africa at The Oval in London.

Chasing a target of 492, Ali's four-wicket haul including a hat-trick reduced South Africa at 252 runs and handed a 239-run victory to the hosts.
Ali bagged Dean Elgar, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel on successive deliveries to complete his hat-trick.
Elgar's blistering knock of 136 came to end when he was caught at slip by Ben Stokes on the fifth ball of the 76th over. In the next ball, Rabada fell the second victim of Ali after he departed on a duck in a similar fashion as Elgar.
Ali completed the feat by trapping Morkel (0) leg before wicket on the first ball of his next over.
As a result, Ali became the first English spinner since Tom Goddard in 1938 to grab a hat-trick in Test cricket. Meanwhile, Stuart Broad is the only player from England to have taken two hat-tricks in the longest format of the game.
Ali returned to the figures of 4-45 in 16.1 overs in the second innings after going wicket-less in the first innings.
England won the four-match Test series by 3-1 after winning the final game of the series by 177 runs. (ANI)

Raj Kantak

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