GettyImages-2188277825

Dean joins exclusive list with unlikely hat-trick against South Africa

The England bowler claimed three consecutive dismissals across two overs and was unsure she had completed the feat until she was told.

Spinner Charlie Dean joined an elite group as England levelled their three-match ODI series against South Africa with an impressive six-wicket victory over the Proteas in Durban.

Dean became just the third England women's player to claim a hat-trick as he collected the superb figures of 4/45 in the resounding ICC Women's Championship triumph.

ICC Women's Championship Standings

The hat-trick was completed across two of Dean's overs, with the off-spinner taking the key scalp of Marizanne Kapp with the final delivery of the 17th over before dismissing Nadine de Klerk and Sinalo Jafta on the opening two balls of the 19th over.

"I didn't even realise I had a hat-trick so it was great to find that out afterwards," Dean admitted after the match.

"I am pleased with my game at the moment. I am still learning and growing but I'm becoming more consistent in how I'm going about things."

It saw Dean become the first English women to take an ODI hat-trick since Clare Connor did against India in Northampton in 1999, with compatriot Carole Hodges (against Denmark in 1993) the only previous player to have done so.

Four English men have completed the feat, with Steven Finn, Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff and James Anderson the quartet of players to have picked up an ODI hat-trick.

Dean's heroics saw England dismiss South Africa for just 135 and the European side raced to victory within 24 overs in reply as Tammy Beaumont (34), Maia Bouchier (33) and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (25*) ensured the series was leveled at 1-1 ahead of the series decider in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.

ICC Women's ChampionshipNewsCharlie Dean 12/22/2000