Chris Jordan's top five England T20I performances

Over what should have been our scheduled 2020 Vitality Blast campaign, 1st Central are putting the Sharks in the spotlight. This week, it's the turn of our #SharkAttack and today, we're looking at Chris Jordan's T20I career...

In October, Sussex’s Chris Jordan took his 50th T20I wicket to become England’s second highest wicket-taker in the format. Since making his debut in 2014 against Australia, he has become an ever-present in the England T20 side – and has produced some brilliant performances along the way. Here, we remember five of his best…

England were on the wrong side of a 21-run defeat in Wellington, but Chris Jordan showed his skill with the ball while reminding people of his superb abilities as an all-rounder.

England bowled first in the second match of the series, and CJ was the pick of England’s bowlers, taking 3-23 as New Zealand set their opponents 177 to win.

Jordan bowled well at the top of the innings, and was denied an early wicket on two occasions when Martin Guptill was dropped by Sam Billings and then James Vince off successive balls.

However, as is so often of the case, it was at the death where CJ was at his best. After a huge appeal, former Sussex man Ross Taylor was correctly given LBW at the start of the 17th over, and two balls later, Jordan had another as a wild hack from Mitchell Santer was caught at long-on.

With the final ball of the innings, CJ had his third when Vince caught Jimmy Neesham - and in the process, the fast-bowler became England’s second highest wicket-taker in T20I history.

In reply, England struggled with the bat, but Jordan was a shining light and reminded the world of his genuine ability as an all-rounder. He was his side’s second highest scorer, hitting three fours and launching three sixes into the stands off successive deliveries before eventually being caught on the boundary for 36 off 19 balls – his best T20I score.

Defending champions Sri Lanka crashed out of the 2016 T20 World Cup in one of the games of the tournament, as Jordan’s maiden four-fer in England colours earned his side a thrilling 10-run victory.

Batting first, Jason Roy’s 42 off 39 balls and Jos Buttler’s 66 off 37 saw England set Sri Lanka 172 to win, and when Dinesh Chandimal was caught behind for one to become Jordan’s first victim, that total looked like it was more than enough.

The Lions were in disarray at 15-4 after just three overs, and England looked like coasting into the knock-out stages, until Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Matthews, who could barely walk due to a hamstring injury, produced one of the innings of his life.

His stunning 73 off 54, which included three fours and five stunning sixes, gave Sri Lanka hope of a remarkable recovery - until Jordan made a vital breakthrough.

He had Thisara Perera caught at mid-off for 20 to derail Sri Lanka’s unlikely chase, and then when Joe Root dived high to his left, Jordan silenced Dasun Shanaka and the Delhi crowd.

With a vintage yorker at the end of the 18th over, CJ then bowled Rangana Herath to finish his four overs with 4-28 – his best ever T20 figures at the time – and leave Sri Lanka needing 15 off the final over. That was a target they failed to reach as Jordan and England marched into the knock-out stages and all the way to the final.

Jordan’s second four-wicket haul in England colours completely destroyed West Indies at the start of 2019, as the hosts were dismissed for just 45 at Basseterre.

After being put into bat first, England finished their 20 overs on 182-6, and after David Willey dismissed Chris Gayle and Shai Hope in the second over of the West Indies reply, CJ took the ball and caused carnage.

Dwayne Bravo was his first victim, nicking a superb delivery into the grateful gloves of Jonny Bairstow, before Jordan crashed the very next ball into Jason Holder’s left pad to trap the Windies batsman for nought.

Nic Pooran just about survived the hat-trick ball, but for a man so famous for his death bowling, it was at the top of the innings where Jordan continued to work his magic - and Pooran couldn’t keep him out for long.  

With the first ball of his second over, Pooran feathered yet another fantastic CJ delivery behind for one, and soon three wickets became four as the pace and bounce of Jordan was just too good for Fabian Allen who edged to Joe Root at slip.

A stunning performance with the ball from Chris Jordan, as he finished with incredible figures of 4-6 – the best ever by an England bowler -  to help his side win by 137 runs and clinch a series victory.

Jordan showed his prowess as both a bowler and a fielder in the opening T20I of England’s 2019 tour of Sri Lanka, finishing with fantastic figures of 2-16 to earn his side victory.

CJ got England off to the perfect start, after Eoin Morgan had opted to bowl first, when he ended an excellent first over by getting the vital wicket of Chris Gayle.

He continued to show all his skill and experience through his second over, conceding just five off it, but he saved his very best for his third and final over.

With an inch-perfect slower ball, Dwayne Bravo was utterly deceived by Jordan, and he could only loop a leading edge back towards the bowler – but there was still a lot of work to be done.

CJ had to change direction so athletically, move across to his right in the blink of an eye and then dive full-length before taking an incredible catch just inches from the turf. Even with a highlight reel of catches as good as Jordan’s, this was up there with his very best.

The man many think of as the best fielder in the world then held on to a regulation catch at mid-off to end a brief Fabian Allen cameo, and West Indies stumbled to 160-8 off their 20 overs.

Despite England not being at their best with the bat, Jonny Bairstow’s excellent 60 off 40 sealed the win for the tourists by four wickets – but even that innings couldn’t take the headlines away from Jordan and his special catch.

In preparation for the World Cup later that year, England toured South Africa in March 2016 - and Chris Jordan all-but secured his seat on the plane to India with this eye-catching display in Cape Town.

After batting first on a tricky pitch, England struggled with Imran Tahir taking four wickets, but Alex Hales, Jos Buttler and a late, 15-run cameo from Chris Jordan saw Eoin Morgan’s side finish on 134 from their 20 overs.

It was a total just five runs greater than the lowest England had ever defended in T20 history, but in reply, South Africa also stuttered against the pace and spin of England’s attack – with CJ making a huge early breakthrough.

He dismissed the ever-dangerous AB de Villiers for just seven with an excellent short delivery, and from there, the game continued to swing back and forth with both sides trying to seize control of the match.

After JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis and Rilee Roussow all gave their wickets away cheaply, England eyed an extraordinary victory, but the match slipped the other way again when David Miller struck consecutive boundaries.

CJ halted his charge soon after, with the first ball of the 18th innings struck straight to Joe Root, and the pendulum swung again with the penultimate delivery of the same over when current Sussex player David Wiese chopped onto his own stumps.

It was all set up for a thrilling final over in Cape Town, with Reece Topley trusted to defend 15 off the last, but the then Hampshire man could only watch on as he was dispatched for a four and a six, before a missed run-out chance off the final ball saw South Africa clinch victory by one run.