Charlie Dean made history on Sunday, December 8, 2024, during the second ODI between England and South Africa at Kingsmead, Durban. The England spinner achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming only the third England women's cricketer and the 12th player overall to take a hat-trick in Women’s One Day Internationals (WODIs). Her sensational bowling performance, which saw her finish with figures of 4 for 45, was pivotal in England’s 6-wicket victory, which leveled the series at 1-1 after their loss in the opening match.
Dean’s hat-trick came in dramatic fashion, spread across two overs. She struck with the final ball of the 17th over to dismiss Marizanne Kapp, before taking two quick wickets in the 19th over—first removing Nadine de Klerk and then Sinalo Jafta with the very first two balls. “I didn’t even realize I had a hat-trick, so it was great to find that out afterwards,” Dean admitted after the match, as quoted by the ICC in a video posted on England Cricket’s X account. “I’m pleased with my game at the moment. I’m still learning and growing, but I’m becoming more consistent in how I go about things.”
Dean’s achievement makes her the first English woman to claim an ODI hat-trick since Clare Connor did so against India in Northampton in 1999. The first-ever WODI hat-trick was achieved by Carole Hodges in 1993 against Denmark, and Dean’s feat places her among some of the best in the game. Other recent notable hat-tricks in women’s ODIs include those from Australia’s Megan Schutt, who took a hat-trick against the West Indies in 2019, and South Africa's Masabata Klaas, who claimed a hat-trick against Pakistan in the same year.
As of 2024, a total of 12 players have managed to take a hat-trick in WODIs. Here’s the full list:
- Carole Hodges (England) vs Denmark, Banstead, 1993
- Julie Harris (New Zealand) vs West Indies, Chiswick, 1993
- Emily Drumm (New Zealand) vs Australia, Adelaide, 1996
- Clare Connor (England) vs India, Northampton, 1999
- Saibh Young (Ireland) vs England, Reading, 2001
- Lotte Egging (Netherlands) vs Pakistan, Stellenbosch, 2008
- Dane van Niekerk (South Africa) vs West Indies, Basseterre, 2013
- Inoka Ranaweera (Sri Lanka) vs New Zealand, Lincoln, 2015
- Rumana Ahmed (Bangladesh) vs Ireland, Belfast, 2016
- Masabata Klaas (South Africa) vs Pakistan, Potchefstroom, 2019
- Megan Schutt (Australia) vs West Indies, Sir Vivian Antigua, 2019
- Charlie Dean (England) vs South Africa, Durban, 2024
Dean’s achievement also places her among the ranks of several English men, including Steven Finn, Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff, and James Anderson, who have also taken ODI hat-tricks.
In the same match, England’s bowlers, led by Dean’s brilliance, restricted South Africa to just 135 runs. The visitors then raced to victory in just 24 overs, with solid contributions from Tammy Beaumont (34), Maia Bouchier (33), and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (25*), securing a comfortable win. The victory was a crucial one for England after their 6-wicket loss in the series opener in Kimberley, and it set the stage for a thrilling final match in the series.
