England square series in style as Charlie Dean stars with hat-trick

England 137 for 4 (Beaumont 34, Bouchier 33, Dercksen 2-22) beat South Africa 135 (Tryon 45, Dean 4-45, Ecclestone 3-27, Filer 3-32) by six wickets

Then, however, came a drinks break at the end of the 16th over, and what followed was a stunning mid-innings meltdown.

Ecclestone herself was into the action four balls later, as Wolvaardt – whose cover-driving had once again been the feature of her innings – this time misjudged the length and inside-edged onto her own stumps for 35, as she hung back in the crease.

At 76 for 5, South Africa were punch-drunk, and two balls into Dean’s next over, they were all but out for the count. Nadine de Klerk climbed into a horrible off-balance hack, which Heather Knight at slip scooped up via a deflection off the keeper’s gloves, and then Sinalo Jafta pressed forward without conviction, and was pinned in front of middle and leg first-ball.

A review couldn’t save her, and Dean had become only the third England bowler to claim an oDI hat-trick in women’s cricket, after Carol Hodges against Denmark in 1993, and most recently Clare Connor against India in 1999. She looked nonplussed when quizzed about the achievement during the innings break, and later admitted at the post-match presentation that the moment had passed her by completely.

The spinners, however, would not be denied for long. Ecclestone found some extra turn and bounce to prise out Tryon via a sharp take from Beaumont at short leg, and then mopped up the innings with 18 overs left unused as Ayanda Hlubi was bowled for 6.

In reply, England’s chase was kickstarted by Beaumont and Bouchier, whose opening stand of 69 in 12 overs broke the back of the requirement.

Both were eventually done in by the aggressive Dercksen, whose use of the short ball induced two fluffed pulls, Bouchier to midwicket and Beaumont to the keeper, and when Heather Knight was trapped lbw for 7 by Kapp, there was the threat of a wobble at 82 for 3.

Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Nat Sciver-Brunt put the contest beyond any doubt, however, with a fourth-wicket stand of 47, and though de Klerk grabbed a consolation lbw in the final over, two fours from Amy Jones sealed the deal.