Alex Wharf had a debut to savour as England beat India by seven wickets in the first one-day international at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old Glamorgan quick, only in the squad because Kabir Ali was out injured, took three for 30 as India were bowled out for a meagre 170.
And they were three quality wickets too — India captain Sourav Ganguly, Venkatsai Laxman and Rahul Dravid.
Stephen Harmison ensured there was no late rally by finishing the innings with a hat-trick as India — minus star batsman Sachin Tendulkar because of an elbow injury — were dismissed with more than six overs left.
The Durham fast bowler was only the second Englishman to achieve the feat in a one-day international after James Anderson took a hat-trick against Pakistan at The Oval last year.
England reached their victory target of 171 with more than 17 overs to spare after recalled opening batsman Vikram Solanki — fresh from his century for Worcestershire in Saturday’s C and G Trophy final — made 52.
Afterwards, England captain Michael Vaughan said: ”I’ve got a huge amount of respect for India. They are probably the second-best one-day side in the world. They have got a long batting line-up, so to bowl them out for 170 was a tremendous effort.”
He paid tribute to Wharf, who began his career alongside Vaughan at Yorkshire.
”To get three wickets in his first three overs, and the quality of those players, it doesn’t get much better than that. He’s got a strong action, which repeats, and he gets a lot of pace off the pitch.”
Man-of-the-match Wharf said: ”It was strange, after I was told I was playing, I wanted to get here as soon as possible and mark out my run-up.
”Then I’d knew I’d be here,” added Wharf, who played at Trent Bridge for Nottinghamshire before joining Glamorgan.
Meanwhile, India captain Sourav Ganguly, who had seen his side thrashed by 66 runs in their previous one-day international against Pakistan in The Netherlands last month, said: ”It is disappointing but there is no point being disappointed. We need to sort it out.
”The guys at the top of the innings need to go on. It’s a matter of one innings for each and every one of us.”
England had a brief wobble when seamer Lakshmipathy Balaji took two wickets for no runs in eight balls.
First, he had Marcus Trescothick caught at backward point for 33 before clean-bowling England captain Michael Vaughan for nought with a slower ball.
Solanki, though, reached his 50 in 74 balls courtesy of his eighth four, a fine pick-up over mid-wicket off Irfan Pathan. But next ball he was plumb leg before wicket to an inswinging delivery from the left-arm quick.
Andrew Flintoff then gave England fans, in a capacity 15 000-strong, sun-drenched crowd dominated by India supporters, something to shout about when he lofted Anil Kumble for a straight six.
Flintoff (34 not out) finished the game with another six off Kumble but later had an X-ray on his right thumb. Andrew Strauss was 41 not out.
India were well-placed at 61 for one off 11 overs when Wharf came on.
Wharf, who took six for five against Kent in a one-day game Sunday, had a wicket with his sixth delivery.
Ganguly (24), fell when he skied a pull to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.
And India slumped to 63 for three when, in his next over, Wharf had Laxman, edging behind for 29 on a lively pitch.
Wharf, bowling at more than 120kph, then saw Dravid (13) top-edge a hook to Darren Gough at fine leg.
India were now 80 for four in 16 overs, Wharf taking three for eight in 14 balls, and their innings never recovered.
The three-match series, a warm-up for the ICC Champions Trophy that starts in England on September 10, continues at The Oval on Wednesday. — Sapa-AFP