WORCESTERSHIRE’s Moeen Ali became only the 14th bowler in history to take a test match hat-trick for England as South Africa were beaten by 239 runs at The Oval.
Moeen ended the five hour resistance of opener Dean Elgar who was caught by Ben Stokes at slip for 136 before the pair repeated the trick to dismiss Kagiso Rabada for a first ball duck.
The dismissal brought an end to Moeen’s over but he struck Morne Morkel on the pads with the first ball of next over to complete the landmark, with the help of technology after umpire Joel Wilson originally said not out.
Moeen is also the first Englishman to take in a test match hat-trick at The Oval in what was the venue’s 100th Test.
The Pears all-rounder ended the innings with figures of 4-45 to take his tally of wickets for the series to 18 with the final test kicking off at Old Trafford on Friday.