Hales, Stokes plunder Proteas bowlers
Had one of them gone through, the whole matter may have been a procession.
However, they fell with considerable meat on the bone, and Miller and Morris just couldn’t stomach it all.
South Africa had got into the chase on the back of the most underwhelming of fielding displays. Sitters were shelled close to the wicket and in the deep, and the sense of urgency and hustle that is taken for granted in all South African outfits was amiss.
AB de Villiers had a bee in his bonnet, and his body language did little to hide his dissatisfaction at the umpires not being in agreement about the match ball. It didn’t look as if anyone in a green shirt was having too much fun out in the field, and England again tucked into the buffet at the death, reaching 330-6.
Andile Phehlukwayo came
England innings J Roy b Rabada .......................................... 8 A Hales c de Kock b Pretorius ................. 24 J Root run out (Pretorius) ......................... 39 E Morgan c de Kock b Rabada ................ 45 B Stokes c Miller b Maharaj ................... 101 J Buttler not out ........................................ 65 M Ali c de Kock b Phehlukwayo ............... 33 Extras (b 1, lb 6, w 8) .............................. 15 Total (6 wickets; 50 overs) ..................... 330 Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-70, 3-80, 4-175, 5-252, 6-330 Bowling: K Rabada 10-0-50-2 (4w); C Morris 10-0-66-0 (2w); D Pretorius 10 0 61; K Maharaj 10-0-72-1; A Phehlukwayo 10-1-74-1 (2w) in for the first bit of punishment in a Proteas’ jersey, and lost his bearings at the end. If he is to be the death option along with Kagiso Rabada, a definitive plan is needed – and a plan B, just in case.
Rabada stood alone, with comparatively miserly figures of 2-50.
On the evidence of the first two matches, the experience and expertise of Morne Morkel can no longer be ignored.
South Africa innings Q de Kock c Buttler b Ali .......................... 98 H Amla c Morgan b Stokes ...................... 24 F du Plessis c Buttler b Plunkett ............. 16 AB de Villiers c †Buttler b Plunkett ......... 52 D Miller not out .......................................... 71 F Behardien c Ali b Plunkett ...................... 1 C Morris not out ........................................ 36 Extras (lb 5, w 9) ..................................... 14 Total (5 wickets; 50 overs) ..................... 328 Fall of wickets: 1-56, 2-93, 3-189, 4-211, 5-266 Bowling: M Wood 10-0-48-0 (1w); J Ball 10-0-81-0 (2w); B Stokes 3-0-12-1; L Plunkett 10-0-64-3 (3w); A Rashid 6-0-410 (1w); M Ali 8-0-59-1; J Root 3-0-18-0 Result: England won by 2 runs
Keshav Maharaj had a debut he will not forget. He could just as easily have had tidy figures with the cheap scalps of Alex Hales and Ben Stokes. Instead, both were shelled, and he was plundered in his latter spells. Stokes went on to register a ton, and that was the difference, ultimately.
Though South Africa lost the match in a chase, they chucked it welland truly in the field, and that is where much of their focus needs toturn to, a week away from the tournament proper.
Most of their batsmen are in decent touch, but they need to find theirruthless streak. Their bowlers, however – and the fielders – need togo back to the basics, because they have missed the mark badly so far.
The series concludes at Lord’s on Monday.