RASHID BACK IN THE OLD ROUTINE
Adil and Moeen the star turns as England tie series
It took the recalling of the old guard, and Adil Rashid in particular, to preserve England’s three- year unbeaten record in 50-over series. Rashid was at his bamboozling best with the ball in his first appearance in one-day internationals since the World Cup and the 100th of his career, limiting South Africa’s ambitions with the dismissals of their most prolific batsmen Quinton de Kock and temba Bavuma in a manof-the-match display.
the Wanderers, decked in pink for South African cricket’s charity day, is a place renowned for fast bowling, not spin, but the 31-year- old and his fellow mid-innings squeezer and close friend Moeen Ali combined for joint figures of 20-0-94-4.
Rashid now sits fifth among England’s wicket-takers in this format, having passed Sir Ian Botham’s tally of 145 when Andile Phehlukwayo perished sweeping towards the death of an innings only bloated to 256 for seven by some long handle from David Miller.
In comparison to the previous one- and- a- bit games of this limited- overs tour, England were dominant for large parts but in keeping with their performances in the summer of 2019 there was to be late drama.
With 25 runs required from 13.3 overs and six wickets standing, securing a 12th undefeated campaign stretching back to the tour of India in January 2017 should have been a cake walk. But the separation of Joe Denly and tom Banton — both batting out of position in the absence of resting duo Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler — following a stand of 70 at a run-a-ball triggered a collapse of four wickets in 35 balls.
Victory was sealed with two wickets intact when Moeen counterattacked against Lutho Sipamla, piercing the covers for a boundary and then lofting into no-man’s land with the scores level.
During their march to the world title last July, England showed themselves to be clinical but Eoin Morgan has provided constant reminders of the errors possible during the first phase of this cycle towards the next tournament on the subcontinent in February 2023.
It is hoped they will learn from the mistake of opening the door for South Africa at a time when they should have been slamming it shut.
At 33, Denly was a curious choice as Stokes’ substitute at No5, No 5, and he succumbed in trying to show he has a power game to compare to England’s World Cup hero.
Until tuesday, Denly had waited 11 years for a one-day international 50. Suddenly, two have come along in a week. Having taken advantage of Lungi Ngidi palming a chance over the rope for six when he was on 30, he got to his half- century with the first of back-to-back blows into the stands off tabraiz Shamsi.
His displays here have gone some way to justifying the selectors’ decision decil to hand him an annual whiteball hit contract, although his miscue to deep extra cover simply got Ngidi’s dander up with fresh meat thrown out under the floodlights.
Banton’s easy-on-the-eye 32 came to its end without addition to the score and when Curran and Rashid followed, the nerves jangled.
Earlier, Jonny Bairstow appeared to be in a mood to finish things quickly with a brutal burst of 39 from 15 deliveries that silenced a ground that had been at its vibrant best. Just as in the first encounter in Cape town, though, England lost both openers in consecutive overs following a rapid burst from the blocks. Bairstow tucked one straight to square leg and Jason Roy top-edged a pull which meant a rebuild for the two Joes, Root and Denly, after Morgan prodded a return catch to Beuran Hendricks.
England became the first away side in nine years of South Africa’s fund-raising day for breast cancer to sport pink for the occasion but they were not so charitable with the ball. tom Curran set the tone after Morgan won the toss, as De Kock failed to lay a bat on any of his opening deliveries, and debutant Saqib Mahmood clipped Reeza Hendricks’ offstump to provide the early breakthrough.
Rashid then got to work, his googly wreaking havoc in an extraordinary and highly- controversial second over that saw temba Bavuma lose South Africa’s review, only for third umpire Aleem Dar to leave England apoplectic by returning it to them on what he claimed was a DRS technicality as he did not believe ultraedge was working correctly. Rassie van der Dussen made use of it to deny a hat-trick opportunity but it was Rashid who in the end enjoyed
the last laugh.