Australian spinner Ashton Agar on Saturday became the second from his nation to take a hat-trick in the T20I format after Brett Lee. He achieved the feat during the first T20I of the three-game series against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg in what was his first over in the tour.
Introduced in the eighth over of the innings, Agar got Faf du Plessis to step out and go inside-out over the covers against the ball that found itself close to bat thereby leaving lesser room to find the elevation. Kane Richardson completed the formalities at the deep extra cover as the former skipper walked back for a score of 24 off 22. He then trapped Andile Phehlukwayo with a tossed up delivery from round the wicket on the stumps before Dale Steyn edged the final ball of the over to skipper Aaron Finch at slip.
Agar joined former Australian cricketer Brett Lee in the elite list, who had taken the first hat-trick for Australia in the format back in 2007/08 against Bangladesh in Cape Town. And overall, is the 13th bowler to take a hat-trick in T20I cricket.
Earlier in the evening, Australia, after being put to bat first, amassed 196 runs for the loss of six wickets in the T20I series opener. Finch scored 42 while Steve Smith managed a 32-ball 45 in their 80-run partnership to give Australia a big total to defend.
