Pace bowler Chris Jordan has celebrated his return to the England side with a hattrick in the land of his birth to set the defending champions up for a crushing 10-wicket victory over the United States and a place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals.
After dismissing the United States for 115 from 18.5 overs in their final 'Super Eight' group match, England captain Jos Butler (83 not out) - who effortlessly lofted five sixes in an over off left-arm slow bowler Harmeet Singh - and Phil Salt (25 not out) stroked their way to 117 without loss from 9.4 overs.
After being asked to bat first, the Americans lost their last five wickets in six balls.
Jordan, who had replaced Mark Wood, began the 19th over by having former Blackcap Corey Anderson caught at longon by Harry Brook. Two balls later, he clean bowled Ali Khan, then trapped Nosthush Kenjige leg before wicket and bowled Saurabh Netravalkar to complete his hattrick, all three falling without scoring.
Jordan finished with 4/10 from 2.5 overs, after another masterclass in wrist spin from Adil Rashid, who was named Man of the Match.
Rashid took 2/13 from his four overs, including the prize wicket of captain Aaron Jones, who was bowled for 10, completely misjudging a googly that spun back to hit his stumps.
Nitish Kumar top-scored with 30 and Anderson struck some belligerent shots late in the innings, but it was all far too little too late on an excellent batting surface at the Kensington Oval.
"Very nice to do this at a special place like this," said Jordan. "I thought we worked out the conditions well.
"Rashid came on and controlled one end, and the way Livi [Jason Livingstone] bowled set the game up."
After Butler won the toss and opted to field first, Andries Gous flicked the fourth ball from left-arm paceman Reece Topley's first over for a six over the fine-leg boundary, but was caught for eight, attempting a similar shot from the final delivery.
Also representing England in the country of his birth, Jofra Archer opened from the other end, conceding a six, when Kumar was late on his hookshot, and the ball took the top edge and flew over the third-man boundary. A more authentic shot from Topley's second over soared over longon for another six.
Left-arm paceman Sam Curran took over from Archer and struck with his third ball, dismissing Steven Taylor, caught at point by Moeen Ali for 12, his 50th ODI wicket.
Rashid then bowled Jones and, at the halfway stage, the American side were precariously placed at 65/3. They were never to recover, as Livingstone, with his mixture of wrist and finger spin, was almost as effective from the other end, capturing 1/24 from his four overs.
"I thought if we could bring our intensity we'd be too good," Butler said. "We've got great options, we wanted to bring Chris Jordan back, he adds a bit of depth with his batting capabilities as well.
"A World Cup hattrick is a great effort."
Reuters
