MOEEN Ali became the first England off-spinner to take a Test hat-trick for 79 years as he polished off South Africa at The Oval today in dramatic style.
The Worcestershire all-rounder sent back back centurion Dean Elgar and Kagiso Rabada with the last two balls of one over as both were caught by Ben Stokes at slip.
Then the 30-year-old won a successful review as last man Morne Morkel was trapped lbw to the first ball of his next over.
Moeen was mobbed by his team-mates after the verdict came up on the scoreboard as England completed a 239-run victory to go 2-1 ahead in the series.
He led his team-mates off the field with the match ball in his pocket and acknowledging the crowd with one of the stumps as he finished with figures of 16.1-5-45-4.
It was the perfect finale to the 100th Test at The Oval.
Moeen is the first England player to register a Test hat-trick since Stuart Broad against Sri Lanka at Headingley in 2014.
The last England off-spinner to achieve the feat at Test level was Tom Goddard on Boxing Day 1938 against South Africa in Johannesburg.
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