Charlie Dean reportedly achieved a hat-trick as England levelled their one-day international series against South Africa with a decisive six-wicket victory in the second match held in Durban. Following a loss in their previous encounter, Heather Knight's team delivered an impressive bowling performance, restricting South Africa to a mere 135 runs at Kingsmead. England comfortably chased down the target, finishing at 137 for four with 26 overs to spare.
After winning the toss, England showcased their bowling prowess. Dean's outstanding figures of four for 45 included a hat-trick across two overs. Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Filer also contributed significantly, taking three wickets each, with Ecclestone achieving figures of three for 27 and Filer three for 32.
Despite South Africa's initial recovery to 72 for two in the 17th over, they quickly faltered, losing five wickets for just four runs and finding themselves at 76 for seven by the 19th over. Dean's hat-trick marked a significant milestone, being only the third in women's ODIs for England since Clare Connor's in 1999.
Chloe Tryon managed to resist with a score of 45 before being dismissed by Ecclestone, and South Africa was bowled out within 32 overs. In response, England's openers, Tammy Beaumont and Maia Bouchier, laid a solid foundation with a 69-run partnership, leading to a comfortable victory, with Danni Wyatt-Hodge remaining not out at 25. The teams are set to meet again for the decider in Potchefstroom before a one-off Test match in Bloemfontein.