England THUMP the United States by ten wickets to secure place in World Cup semi-finals – with Chris Jordan taking four wickets in an over before Jos Buttler’s brutal 83  off just 38 balls

England are through to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup after a hat-trick from Chris Jordan – part of a devastating burst of five wickets in six balls – hurried them to victory over the USA on the island of his birth. Jos Buttler confirmed a dominant 10-wicket win with a brutal undefeated 83.

The Americans, batting first, had reached 115 for five with 13 deliveries to go when Sam Curran had Harmeet Singh caught by the tumbling Jordan at long-off. Then Jordan got to work with the ball, as the former New Zealand international Corey Anderson hit a full toss straight to Harry Brook at long-on.

Ali Khan narrowly survived being bowled first ball, but the USA’s respite was fleeting. Jordan knocked back Khan’s off stump with his next delivery, then produced another inducker to trap Nosthush Kenjige first ball. An inevitable review produced an equally inevitable three reds on DRS.

In front of a lively Kensington Oval crowd, Jordan then found more lateral movement to take out Saurabh Netravalkar’s middle stump and complete England’s first hat-trick in T20 internationals.

Buttler then breezed past the target almost by himself, launching seven sixes – including five in five legitimate balls from spinner Harmeet Singh – as England’s openers raced home with 62 deliveries to spare.

Chris Jordan took four wickets in five balls, including a hat-trick, to dismiss the US for 115 

Jos Buttler and Phil Salt then chased down the total in brutal fashion inside 10 overs

Buttler played a starring role by hitting an astonishing 83 not out off just 38 balls 

But this was Jordan’s day, and his removal of Netravalkar was a lovely moment for a man born in the next-door parish of Christ Church, and schooled at nearby Combermere. The spontaneous joy among West Indians in the crowd told you he remains as popular here as he has become in England. ‘It was very nice to do it at a special place like this,’ he said, taking it all in.

The brutal end to the USA’s meandering innings simplified the task for England’s batsmen. Knock off the runs in 18.4 overs or less, and they were guaranteed a semi-final place without having to worry about the day’s later game, between West Indies and South Africa in Antigua.

That match has become a virtual quarter-final, with the winners joining England in the last four. All that remains to be decided is who finishes first and second, though even then those teams’ semi-final venues – either Trinidad on Wednesday or Guyana on Thursday – will depend on the final placings in Group 1, where India, Australia and Afghanistan are battling it out.

But it quickly became clear that the figure of 18.4 would prove academic, as Buttler launched 16 in three balls from Netravalkar’s second over, then clobbrered the Kenjige’s loopy left-arm over mid-on.

Buttler’s stunning innings included five sixes in an over off the hapless Harmeet Singh

Adil Rashid was again on fine form as he took two for 13 from four top quality overs in Barbados

But this was Jordan’s day, on the island of his birth, as he took England’s first ever T20 hat-trick

For once, Buttler was comfortably outscoring Phil Salt, and England’s powerplay score of 60 without loss was their best of the tournament. After that, it was only a matter of time, Buttler hastening victory with five sixes in an over off the hapless Harmeet, a sequence separated only by a wide.

Buttler finished with an unbeaten 83 off just 38 balls, leaving Salt all but anonymous on 25 off 21. It was a massacre.

England are through to the last four with only one win out of three against Test-playing opposition, but ruthless displays against Oman, Namibia and now the USA. If they can turn it on against one of the big boys in the semis, they may yet leave the Caribbean with their title of world champions intact.