Summing up
Given the slight gloom that has enveloped English white-ball cricket in the past couple of weeks, that was a surprisingly emphatic win, that most of us didn’t call halfway in after a stop-start batting performance against an impressive South African attack. But the tourists’ batting was flimsy and England’s bowling masterful, from star of the summer Topley and Willey to the two spinners, Rashid and Moeen, and we have a properly intriguing decider at Headingley on Sunday.
And here’s Daniel Gallan’s report from Old Trafford. Thanks for all your comments and tweets, only a fraction of which I could respond to due to the frenetic nature of of the game. Bye and have a good weekend.
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Liam Livingstone also swung by for a chat with the Sky team, with some insight into how he and Curran lined up the bowlers. “We had to scrap hard to get to a score,” he admits, “and then Toppers and Dave were brilliant with the ball and then Rash did brilliantly with a wet ball – it was a pretty satisfying win. Sometimes you’ve got to give yourselves a chance and assess the conditions and get yourself in and then you wait for your match-up to come, Sam with the spinners and me with pace. I was waiting for the seam to come back on to attack. while Sam told me he’d have a go at Maharaj.
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And we’re swiftly on to the presentation, at a gloomy Old Trafford. Up comes Kesha Maharaj first:
“Our bowlers did well,” says the South Africa captain, “we thought it was a score that could be chaseable but we lost a lot of soft wickets up front and when you’re four down in the powerplay it’s hard to come back from. So it’s back to the drawing board and we’ll get ready for the nest one.” Of the Proteas’ best performer, he adds, “Dwayne [Pretorius] is a very professional guy and showed his worth.
Jos Buttler’s next: “Great to get the win, I’m delighted with the way we came out with the ball there. And I want us to continue playing in this fashion. Can we do it better? Absolutely but I’m happy with the guys playing that way and it proved a winning total
“They back themselves, a lot of the time it doesn’t feel like we are taking a risk – we’re finding time to compose ourselves and put pressure on the opposition but I want us to keep taking the postitive option. Liam [Livingstone] and Sam Curran having the willingness to take on the bowlers is key. And guys are bowling brilliantly, Topley getting early wickets and Dave doing the same – we talked at halfway about how if we held a length it’ll be too good for them. I want us to continue on that path and play that positive brand of cricket but just do it better.”
Player of the match is Sam Curran, who grabs it from a crowded field. “I had time to reflect when I had the injury and be happy down the order and chip in like I did today. I enjoyed the break for the reflection and learning and to make sure I’m more consistent. The message from the team has always been to take that positive option and me and Liam took that up; with the ball I just try to be adaptable and give Jos some options, working on that cutter and slower ball but I won’t give away too many secrets
Wicket! Nortje c Bairstow b Ali 6, South Africa all out 83, England win by 118 runs
20.4 overs: South Africa 81-9 (Shamsi 5*), target 202. Moeen’s gonna bowl through if he needs to. Shamsi takes a flicked single before Nortje hoiks him high down the ground but it’s not got enough distance. Bairstow takes the catch and England have an emphatic victory to bring the series level.
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20th over: South Africa 81-9 (Northje 4, Shamsi 4), target 202. Nortje drives Rashid down the ground for one – South Africa’s first for three overs – but this has been a bowler’s match (no individual has bowled badly) and Rashid scoops up another with an easy caught and bowled off Ngidi. The No 11 Shamsi is bamboozled beautifully first ball before having a merry swish down the ground for four. And then, with the final ball of the 20th over, which guarantees us a result, Rashid gets an lbw decision that Shamsi reviews. He thinks he’s hit it and he’s right.
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Wicket! Ngidi c and b Rashid 0, SA 77-9
A third for Rashid, Ngidi misreading the pace and offering the bowler a simple return catch with an inelegant hack.
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19th over: South Africa 76-8 (Northje 4, Ngidi 0), target 202. Shaun Pollock on comms for Sky reckons Ngidi will have a go but Moeen is bowling so tightly he can’t do anything and has to play out a maiden. Excellent from both England spinners now.
18th over: South Africa 76-8 (Northje 4, Ngidi 0), target 202. Pretorius takes perhaps South Africa’s last chance with him when he’s caught at long-off by Roy. It’s a wicket maiden no less.
“Forget this 50-over stuff. We obviously have a new, sparkling 29-29 in the rain format!” emails John Starbuck, giving the ECB ideas (probably)
Wicket! Pretorius c Roy b Rashid 17, SA 76 for 8
Is this game over. Pretorius tries to have a go at Rashid, slightly miscues a high off-drive and Roy trots round to gather it.
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17th over: South Africa 76-7 (Pretorius 17, Northje 4), target 202. Very good from Moeen, offering nothing from his first two balls before the third is thick-edged towards third man for two by Nortje. Pretorius can bat though, and when Moeen offers him a half-volley, he wallops it over the bowler’s head for four. Some progress for South Africa too there in that over.
16th over: South Africa 68-7 (Pretorius 12, Northje 1), target 202. Quite the game for spinners, this, like the Old Trafford of (very) old as Rashid begins his over by castling Maharaj. And it’s an over largely of good old-fashioned legspin, laced with the variations that make Rashid England’s greatest-ever white-ball spinner.
Wicket! Maharaj b Rashid 1, SA 66 for 7
One brings two! A slider-cum-googly from Rashid beats the tourists’ captain, and there’s the old crash of ash.
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15th over: South Africa 66-6 (Pretorius 12, Mahraj 1), target 202. Moeen continues, and concedes a rare boundary when the increasingly dangerous Klaasen lofts him crisply over mid-off for four. But no sooner do I type “dangerous” than he’s gone – stumped – and an irksome partnership is broken. A couple more singles ensue but Mooen’s finding some skiddy movement here.
Wicket! Klaasen st Buttler b Ali 31, SA 66 for 6
Man like Moeen! Just as England might have been fretting about this partnership, Moeen snares Klaasen driving at one that was too tight to drive. He advances and misses, Buttler takes and stumps.
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14th over: South Africa 61-5 (Klaasen 27, Pretorius 11), target 202. A deft paddle off Rashid down to fine leg brings Klaasen two more, Topley doing well to make sure it’s not four. England are cutting out the boundaries well here, as another drive down the ground is also cut off. Another two completes the over and brings us, rather unhelpfully given the weather, to drinks.
“It’s all very well to suggest such complicated measurements, which are not necessarily counting things which definitely can be measured objectively,” says John Starbuck. “Do it for Curran and A.N. Other all-rounder and see what comes out, yes. But the result could well be So What? You’d need to be able to tally up the well-known particles ‘inspirations’ and classify them, too.” For some, perhaps most, in cricket, there’s no such thing as too many stats.
13rd over: South Africa 55-5 (Klaasen 24, Pretorius 10), target 202. Aware of the need to hurry through the overs in the rain, England bring on Moeen. He’s not hanging about, though Klaasen gets two edging a fine ball beyond the keeper, adding more damp to a ball that can’t be easy to grip. Six from a fairly tidy over.
12th over: South Africa 49-5 (Klaasen 21, Pretorius 7), target 202. Rashid begins with another wide, but he’s mixing it up nicely and Pretorius is unsure what to do with a more floated-up delivery so he can only push it away defensively. This is the containment he can do so intelligently, though seven from the over is something, given their predicament, South Africa will be happy enough with.
11th over: South Africa 42-5 (Klaasen 19, Pretorius 4), target 202. Ach! There’s a bit of drizzle in the air, so England need to hurry through to 20 overs at least. And the last thing we need is a delay caused by griping (from Klaasen it would seem) about the covers behind the boundary ropes obstructing his view, the advertising hoardings having been pulled back in anticipation of the covers being needed. Jos Buttler is energetically miffed. Curran hears the mood and digs one in short that Klaasen pulls forcefully but straight to the man at short midwicket. He then adds an easier single, and Pretorius does likewise, but it’s a good over from Curran, concluding with a well-targeted bouncer.
10th over: South Africa 39-5 (Klaasen 17, Pretorius 3), target 202. Time for spin now, as Rashid gets a bowl from the Jimmy A end. Klaasen pushes his first to mid-off for a single, and Pretorius turns round the corner for another. Rashid errs with a wide down leg that seemed to slip from his hand. Another one straying in the same area is scooped to fine leg by Klaasen for two, and he then picks up his first boundary with a fine backfoot punch through the covers for four. A bit of a sighter of an over that, to be honest.
9th over: South Africa 27-5 (Klaasen 9, Pretorius 2), target 202. Emails about Curran prompt the introduction of Curran, in this left-arm bowler dominated match. He’s round the wicket at Klaasen from the Statham End and beats him well with a straightener second ball. Alert fielding from Rashid at deep backward square prevents one for Klaasen being two, and brings to the strike Miller, who’s bowled next ball. Huge scalp. Pretorius rounds off the over by getting off the mark with a well-run two.
Wicket! Miller b Curran 12, SA 27 for 5
Curran’s making-things-happen-ometer starts dinging again as he pushes one in at Miller who clatters it on to his stumps.
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7th over: South Africa 26-4 (Klaasen 8, Miller 12), target 202. Willey’s still maintaining a good tight seamer’s length, not giving the batters room for anything more than nudged and flicked singles square of the wicket, and they’re finding conventional English-conditions seamers’ movement. Just three from another very good over.
There’s too much going on in the game before me to fully chew over this piece of suggested boffinry from Tom van der Gucht about Sam Curran, but here goes:
I’ve never been too sure about Curran: he doesn’t seem to be a strong enough bowler or batsman, yet seems to have the knack of “making things happen...”
Hopefully, Cricviz are currently working on the future of cricketing statistics by creating an algorithm that accurately works out your contribution within the game beyond runs, strike rates, wickets economy rates etc....
Something that’s able to take into account from a bowling perspective, the standard of the batter you got out; how well set they were; whether you earned it or they gave it away; if it opened the door for a collapse or was just an anomaly; how many opportunities created that weren’t taken; whether you roughed someone up so a teammate got them out... From batting perspective, the percentage of your teams runs you scored; how tricky the pitch was; whether you were dropped /should’ve been out; strike rate in relation to the situation; impact upon the bowling, I.e. was a bowler removed due to you.taking them to the cleaners... Catches taken / missed; difficulty rating; impact within the game...
Then, each player gets a score out of 100 based on what percentage of the team’s achievements within the match were due to you. Then we’d genuinely know whether Curran’s contributions actually made a difference or were just little sprinklings of gold dust.
6th over: South Africa 23-4 (Klaasen 5, Miller 12), target 202. It might sound excessively doomy from an England perspective but they need to break this partnership already. Topley continues to bowl tightly but the South African pair are pushing around the singles comfortably enough.
I could do without the Barmy Army trumpeter playing Queen songs to be honest.
5th over: South Africa 19-4 (Klaasen 3, Miller 10), target 202. More movement, as Klaasen has a waft at Willey’s away-seamer. The batters rotate the strike for a couple of singles. Klaasen closes the over with a forceful cover drive that has four written all over it until Salt dives smartly to cut it out, making it a dot instead. End of a productive powerplay for England.
5th over: South Africa 17-4 (Klaasen 2, Miller 9), target 202. Klaasen is off the mark with a single bringing the dangerous Miller on strike. He opens his account with a carved one square on the off. An altogether wiser and more confident display of running brings Klaasen a second, dabbed single before Miller drives square for four – but not before it had been parried by Roy at backward point. The crowd roaring like that was a chance. Another drive for four completes South Africa’s best over by miles so far.
4th over: South Africa 6-4 (Klaasen 0, Miller 0), target 202. Incredible stuff. Willey comes to the party, forcing De Kock to drive awkwardly to Livingstone who takes the catch. It gets even worse/better as Markram is run out by some wrongheaded calling and Buttler brilliance. Powerplay going well for England then.
Wicket! Markram run out 0, SA 6-4
A daft single, Klaasen sets off after dabbing down on the legside, Markram can’t make his ground at the striker’s end, as Buttler flings a superb diving throw at the stumps and South Africa are four down. Markram is out for a duck without facing a ball.
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Wicket! De Kock c Livingstone b Willey 5, SA 6 for 3
Three down! Incredible. Willey deceives De Kock with extra bounce and pace and the batter can only force it square and in the air on the offside to Curran.
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3rd over: South Africa 6-2 (De Kock 5), target 202. Eek! Topley begins his over with a wide outside off-stump, but he atones with his first wicket – and his 10th of the ODI summer – a couple of balls later. Pressure pays. Van der Dussen, the new and danger man, is cut in half second ball shuffling across his stumps, for which he pays the penalty last ball.
Wicket! Van der Dussen c Buttler b Topley 0, SA 6 for 2
He’s done it again. Van der Dussen, Tuesday’s matchwinner, shuffles across his stumps again and flicks an edge down leg to the keeper.
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Wicket! Malan c Curran b Topley 0, SA 6 for 1
Topley and England get the early scalp they’ve deserved, as Malan mistimes a line and length ball and Curran scoops it up on the run from mid-on.
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2nd over: South Africa 5-0 (De Kock 5, Malan 0), target 202. Willey starts well, with an attempted yorker that De Kock grubs out. He plays an elegant lofted drive for four later in the over though, but it’s the only scoring shot of the over as De Kock slogs and misses the last ball.
Have England been seduced into the oldest selection error of them all and let a great side grow old together @tomdaviesE17? Stokes is gone and Roy, Root, Moeen, Buttler, Bairstow, Willey and Rashid have a lot of miles on the clock. The wear is mental as much as physical surely?
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) July 22, 2022
That is the fear, yes, and – as per earlier discussions – the ongoing shortage of domestic 50-over cricket means England will be fielding plenty of relative inexperience in the coming period. Perhaps we should fret more about the future of this form than the Test game, which has louder cheerleaders (which is of course a good and necessary thing).
1st over: South Africa 1-0 (De Kock 1, Malan 0), target 202. Reece Topley, England’s man of the moment, begins with an absolute jaffer, swinging and seaming away from the left-handed De Kock, who’s off the mark next ball with a square drive for one. Then a review, as Malan bat-or-pads up a tricky return catch that Topley takes diving forward well. Alas for England, there’s no bat at all, and an lbw check is similarly obviously wide. Topley didn’t look keen on that review, but it seemed as if Bairstow and Buttler deemed it worth a go. A review lost, but this is a very impressive opening over – and this ball may yet do something under the lights
And they’re back out …
So, England are bowled out for a fifth consecutive ODI. They were under the cosh from the moment South Africa made those early regular top-order inroads. Brief fireworks from Curran and Livingstone gave them a score that’s at least some way competitive but you’d make South Africa favourites.
Anyway, I’m off for some scran. Back soon.
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Wicket! Rashid run out 12, England all out 201
28.1 overs. No they can’t. Nortje gets the final over and Rashid square drives neatly for what he wants to be two and, despite an obstructive pigeon in the deep impeding the fielder’s efforts, the return throw is good enough to find De Kock who breaks the stumps with a diving Rashid short of his ground.
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28th over: England 200-9 (Rashid 11, Topley 1). Rashid has a swipe at a decent length slower ball outside off from Ngidi and slashes hard enough to edge it over the keeper for four. Another hack on the legside is misudged and goes for leg-byes off his noggin (well his helmet). The physio is understandably called to check him out, and he’s good to continue, after a necessary delay. Topley is sent sprawling to the deck by a short brutish delivery speared towards the legside and he carves a single next ball to get off the mark and Rashid smartly scurries a single to keep the strike and bring p the 200. Could England actually manage to bat through their overs? The suspense …
27th over: England 193-9 (Rashid 6, Topley 0). The floodlights cast their glow over a cloudy Old Trafford as Pretorius returns at the Jimmy end. Willey drives for one, Rashid dabs another and the hubbub of the crowd suggests a little boozy disengagement. Willey puts a stop to that jibber-jabber by launching a wide slower ball outside off over long-off for SIX. He has another go next ball and it’s less successful, holing out to square leg. Pretorius gives himself two goes at the final ball of his spell, as the first is a wide, and the second is seen out by Topley. Pretorius finishes with four for 36, his best ODI figures.
Wicket! Willey c Klaasen b Pretorius 21, England 191-9
Willey follows a fierce six with a slogged pull straight down Klaasen’s throat. The returning Pretorius has four.
26th over: England 183-8 (Willey 14, Rashid 4). Ngidi, who bowled excellently in the first powerplay, returns with a trademark cutter that Willey can only carve away for a single. Rashid dabs another one to gully before Willey has a wild slog that he completely misses. Singles remain the main currency
“Still, at least we have a vibrant domestic 50 over competition from which new players can emerge,” honks a downbeat James Brown with the inevitable but not unnecessary dig at our game’s majestic overlords.
25th over: England 178-8 (Willey 11, Rashid 2). Willey hacks a single off Nortje to mid-off, and Rashid pushes another to get off the mark. Willey then finds the boundary with a confident pull behind square before Nortje needlessly concedes another run with a bouncer called wide. Rashid adds a well scurried single and another for Willey rounds off a useful over for England. This isn’t a great score, but it’s not a hopeless one. There’s something for their bowlers to aim at.
“OMG can we agree that 3 boundaries in an over is enough?” tuts Brendan Large. “Unless you are chasing some ridiculous total, then take the win and let the bowler sweat. If there is a bad one then smash it, but this England side have to chill a bit please!!!” To be fair to Curran, he’d hit a ball just as good for six two balls earlier.
24th over: England 167-8 (Willey 5, Rashid 0). Shamsi’s final over begins with two more brilliantly belligerent straight drives from Curran for one-bounce fours, the second one particularly impressive as it turned quite sharply. Then he goes one better, the same productive straight drive for SIX – that IPL savvy manifesting itself … until he falls repeating the shot for the fourth time but not quite getting the distance on it. Rashid faces an lbw appeal straight away, turned down but reviewed by the bowler. But it pitched outside leg. Shamsi ends with fine figures of 2 for 39 from six.
Wicket! Curran c Markram b Shamsi 35, England 167-8
A barrage of hitting from Curran – two fours and a six – is followed by the left-hander perishing trying to repeat, caught at long off.
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23rd over: England 153-7 (Curran 21, Willey 5). Willey and Curran each take singles with pushes off Nortje through the offside before Willey essays a hook that he doesn’t quite get hold off and can only add another one down to deep square leg. Another boundary-free over takes us into the final power play.
22nd over: England 147-7 (Curran 19, Willey 1). Shamsi continues, Curran pushing his first ball down the ground for one. But the left-arm spinner’s variety continues to tax and test England and Willey is beaten by a cunning floating drifter outside off-stump. He can only play out two more dots before pushing a single to deep mid-on to round off a very good comeback over for South Africa after the previous one’s mayhem.
21st over: England 145-7 (Curran 18, Willey 0). Finally Livingstone lets rip, as pace returns to the attack in the form of Nortje. He pulls and swipes three consecutive balls for SIX – same shot, same destination in the party stand. I should bemoan his sluggishness more often. In total England have just hit four sixes in a row and the game done changed. As if to prove it, the next ball is viciously edged over the slips for four. But it can’t last, as he holes out to Miller next ball off a slower delivery, the third catch in that midwicket area this innings. But in the space of four balls, Livingstone’s done a massive job for England here. Willey is greeted with a bouncer-wide and then an attempted yorker and dot ball. Lots of cricket was bundled into that over.
Wicket! Livingstone c Miller b Nortje 38 England 144-7
Livingstone hits three straight sixes and a four, then perishes caught at midwicket. This over’s been fireworks all the way
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20th over: England 122-6 (Livingstone 16 Curran 18). Shamsi continues the all-spin attack, but on a rare offering of width, Curran capitalises with a firm crack on the offside for two, well cut off by Miller on the ropes. Curran then rounds off the over with another belligerent straight six to a tossed-up delivery. By contrast, Livingstone has 16 from 21 balls – not his normal style at all.
19th over: England 112-6 (Livingstone 15 Curran 9). At last some unshackling – Curran advances and belts Maharaj for a perfect straight SIX, then adds a single. Livingstone can’t get in on the act though, and continues to rely mainly on singles.
18th over: England 102-6 (Livingstone 14 Curran 1). Parsimony and potency from Shamsi. Livingstone tries to take Shamsi on with a legside swipe but finds only a fielder and a single before Buttler is snared, slice-slogging to Pretorius. And still Shamsi offers nothing, forcing Curran to play a very old-fashioned forward defensive before he’s eventually off the mark with a square cut for one.
Wicket! Buttler c Pretorius b Shamsi 19, England 101-6
What was I saying about steadying themselves? Buttler heaves at Shamsi, doesn’t get hold of it and it’s sliced high and easily for the man at gully – Pretorius
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17th over: England 100-5 (Buttler 19, Livingstone 12). Maharaj, slicing and dicing his spells, is back on to keep the throttle on. Still, England can only rotate the strike with singles, though there’s something to be said for steadying themselves for the final 10 overs when faced with this bowling.
16th over: England 95-5 (Buttler 17, Livingstone 9). Good running between the wickets brings Buttler a single off Shamsi, and a pulled single from Livingstone ensues, but these pull shots aren’t getting much distance. And the old-school middle-overs meander continues with singles out to the deep. Shamsi gives the batters no room to do anything else. Excellent bowling.
15th over: England 91-5 (Buttler 15, Livingstone 7). Livingstone successfully reviews an lbw decision first up, and a couple of pleasing legside clips follow – for two and one respectively. Before FINALLY, Buttler gets a chance to move feet and shoulders and lofts Pretorius over mid-off for four. A single to mid-off completes the over, and Pretorius has figures of 3 for 26.
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Review! Livingstone lbw b Pretorius
Is this No 4 for Pretorius? No it isn’t, it was pushed into Livingsone’s back pad and was deemed high and wide on review.
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14th over: England 82-5 (Buttler 10, Livingstone 4). Shamsi is introduced for the first time, at the Statham End and is greeted with a low slug to deep midwicket from Buttler that plus in the damp outfield and brings him two. A single to the same area follows. Livingstone also pulls earnestly and firmly on leg, but only for one, as the spinner with the slightly Paul Adams-esque hunched action offers little room. They’re still dealing mainly in singles here.
13th over: England 77-5 (Buttler 6, Livingstone 2). Pretorius is going to bowl through here, and why not? Buttler drives to mid-off for his fifth single before Livingstone – who could do with a score here – gets off the mark bunting a low full toss through midwicket for one. A leg-bye follows (and an unconvincing appeal) and then a scurried dabbed single from Livingstone. Another single from Buttler to long-on completes a low-key over. And that’s drinks.
12th over: England 72-5 (Buttler 4, Livingstone 0). Buttler can only deal in singles at the moment – how often can we say that? – and he gets another off Maharaj, who takes his first wicket next ball when Moeen holes out to Nortje. Livingstone’s first delivery faced is an absolute ripper, that spits off the surface and beats him all ends up outside off. Having just said the pitch is doing little, there’s serious turn here for the South Africa captain. Masterful bowling.
Wicket! Moeen c Nortje b Maharaj 6, England 72-5
The procession continues. Moeen slogs Maharaj into the deep on the legside – straight down Nortje’s throat at deep square leg. He barely had to move.
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11th over: England 71-4 (Ali 6, Buttler 3). Pretorius is bowling brilliantly here, and he beats Moeen with a slanting delivery outside off. A similar one then finds a low edge, that squirts past a diving De Kock and, with no slips in play, bringing a rare four. There’s not great movement in the pitch but there is great accuracy and shrewdness from the bowlers.
10th over: England 66-4 (Moeen 2, Buttler 2). How do these two play it now? It’s a T29 game, if you will, requiring rapid scoring, but they’re four down having lost key batters. Moeen is off the mark with a flicked single on the legside and Buttler does likewise but Maharaj is giving no room, and four singles is all they can take from the over. But going a couple of overs without losing a wicket would be handy right now.
9th over: England 62-4 (Ali 0, Buttler 0). Bairstow pushes Pretorius through the covers for a single before Root perishes playing another misjudged shot. They changed ends so Bairstow faces the next ball, and pulls it forcefully for four before being castled. Pretorius and South Africa are rampant. Not often any bowler gets Root and Bairstow in the same over. Buttler can only play out two dot balls to complete the over – big responsibility on the captain now.
Wicket! Bairstow b Pretorius 28
Pretorius is ripping through England here, snaking one back through Bairstow’s defences and clattering middle stump.
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Wicket! Root c De Kock b Pretorius 1
And another! Root horribly mis-swipes a full one from Pretorius, it balloons into the air and De Kock just has to watch it into his gloves.
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8th over: England 57-2 (Bairstow 23, Root 1). Maharaj brings himself back to good effect, at the other end. Bairstow is offered little room by the perennially canny spinner but nudges out a single square on the offside, then Root makes a mess of a sort-of reverse-ramp that cracks the keeper De Kock on the helmet and dobs down behind him and they run a single. A half-hearted lbw appeal against Bairstow follows, then a single. An excellent over.
7th over: England 54-2 (Bairstow 21, Root 0). Thanks Adam, sorry you had such a frustrating afternoon. Afternoon everyone. Dwayne Pretorius comes on at the Jimmy Anderson End and Bairstow hoiks him for two to deep midwicket and another single before Salt is beautifully caught by a sprawling Miller. Pretorius has a shout for lbw first ball against Joe Root but I’d say too high and outside the line. They run a leg-bye. Another single rounds off a fine over for South Africa.
Wicket! Salt c Miller b Pretorius 17
Salt is taken brilliantly at midwicket, as Roy was, with a low diving catch by Miller. The soft single is out, the review firms it up. A promising looking innings from Salt is cut off
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6th over: England 49-1 (Bairstow 17, Salt 17) Ooh, Ngidi cuts Salt in half this time - that’s a huge off-cutter, going past the leg stump after pitching well outside off... deserved a wicket. England’s new number three adapts well to the next delivery, giving himself enough room to cut a couple wide of the man at deep third. Ngidi goes straighter now with that slower ball and Salt is equal to it, holding his shape to help it over the man at short fine for his first boundary. Good batting. “Is this the last over of the power play?” Salt asks the umpire between balls, it sure is and he’s making the most of it, getting down the track to force past mid-off for back to back fours. Another slower ball from Ngidi and Salt doesn’t read it, outside edging a shot he’ll well and truly through when the ball arrives. Last delivery with the field up and it’s a thick edge over first slip for a third boundary in the over. Ngidi very unlucky so far, he’s done almost nothing wrong here. On that note, over to Tom Davies who will take you through the rest of this 29-over match. Thanks for your company... bye!
5th over: England 35-1 (Bairstow 17, Salt 3) Nortje is tidy when banging it in on a hard length, but isn’t supported by Markram at cover point who misjudges a ball that hits the matting cover on the surface being protected by the ground staff. A quick bouncer follows and Bairstow declines the offer to try and pop him over the cordon. A couple to midwicket to finish but a good over for the visitors, keeping a lid on it during this truncated power play. Just over left here with the field up.
4th over: England 30-1 (Bairstow 13, Salt 2) Ohhh, Phil Salt has loads to do after placing his first ball to Maharaj at mid-off but the replay shows he was home with his dive even if the throw was on the money. “Salty,” says Bairstow through the stump mic, “I didn’t hear a thing!” You can certainly hear the ball of YJB’s bat from the next delivery, timing the pants off Ngidi with a forcing shot through point - lovely batting. Ohh, sharp to finish, cutting YJB in half and so nearly hitting his off-stump.
“Glad to sat this delay fits perfectly with my return from work,” writes Brendan Large. “I’m wondering whether Buttler has actually won a toss yet? Also is the reduced overs a bonus for England, as they don’t seem to be able to bat for 50 at the mo anyway?” The old Richie Benaud quote about captaincy and luck? That.
WICKET! Roy c Pretorius b Nortje 14 (England 22-1)
Nortje replaces his captain and gives Roy a ball to cut right away, up at 92mph and slammed behind point to move into double figures. Good response from Nortje, sending an off-cutter between bat and thigh pad, over the woodwork. The short ball follows and Roy leaps back into the crease to pull with complete control behind square for a second four in the over. But he’s caught at midwicket to finish! On the charge, the Surrey man has miscued straight to Pretorius at midwicket.
3rd over: England 22-1 (Bairstow 7)
2nd over: England 14-0 (Roy 6, Bairstow 7) Ngidi with the first over from the James Anderson End and first up he finds a genuine edge from Bairstow, through about fourth slip - a single to deep third the result. Roy dances right away but doesn’t make contact, the ball hitting de Kock’s gloves nice and hard. And a carbon copy from the next delivery, once again too much bounce for Roy’s hotizontal blade. He wants two when pushing the next ball to midwicket but there’s only time for a single. Ngidi’s first ball to Bairstow gets big on him, unable to beat short fine off his hip - good pace here. But a release to finish, top edging for four over the two slips.
Updated
1st over: England 8-0 (Roy 5, Bairstow 2) Shastri predicts England “might come out hard” in the power play. Roger. Second ball, Roy is on the reverse and making no mistake, clearing backward point inside the circle. It prompts a change, Malan taken out of slip out to backward point outside the circle. “That shot has made the bowler change his field,” adds Shastri, repeating Mike Atherton’s observation. Bairstow’s turn midway through the over and he chips him over mid-on for a couple from his first ball. Good finish from the left-arm tweaker, YJB unable to free his arms.
The players are on the field. A reminder that this is a 29-over bash with South Africa one-up in the series after their win in the opening rubber on Tuesday. Roy and Bairstow for England, the captain Maharaj for the Proteas. At last... PLAY!
Updated
Playing conditions. Right, the first power play - the one that matters most with two outside the circle - will run through to the end of the sixth over. In terms of bowler allocations, four can deliver a maximum of six overs with one sending down five
Mark Butcher says the outfield is dry. A great effort from the ground staff. In terms of the pitch, he says it’s hard and should give plenty of bounce to the quicks.
South Africa as named: Janneman Malan, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorious, Keshav Maharaj (c), Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi
Dwaine Pretorious for Andile Phehlukwayo the one change for the visitors.
England as named: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Phil Salt, Joe Root, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, David Willey, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley.
So, three changes with Reece Topley, Phil Salt, David Willey coming into the XI.
South Africa have won the toss and they're bowling
Keshav Maharaj says says the overhead conditions informed his decision.
Updated
Missed this earlier. Joe Root, as ever, being a lovely fella.
"Kids now want to bat, bowl and field because of the way you have gone about it and done it in an England shirt."@root66 with some lovely words after @benstokes38 played his final ODI ❤️ pic.twitter.com/mcGrmPyN18
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 22, 2022
Checking in on the Champo before the toss at Old Trafford. After Middlesex’s excellent work this morning it doesn’t look like they’re going to earn themselves the grandstand finish with Sussex hanging on at 153-8; a lead of 191. There are 35 overs still left in the game, so if they took the wickets right away they’ll look to have a dart at the target but Winviz would have a result in the single digits from here.
And the toss will be at 4:25pm. All provided there’s no more rain.
4:45pm start!
29 overs per team; 15 minute interval. Well how about that?
I’m reporting all good news. This weather report from Jim (silverfox1) on twitter. “10 mnutes up the road from OT, in Sale, the sun is pushing through!” Go on!
“Hi Adam.” Hi Michael Keane. “Any news from Belfast? Will there be any international cricket in the UK today? I got Sky sports as a treat for my newborn son (1 month old today) and hoped there’d be some cricket to watch today, but I see that the Ireland game is on BT. He has nodded off in front of the golf. The rugby was good though. If you could keep us informed of another attempt for a green on black victory I’d be most grateful.”
With great pleasure, I’ll keep you across that. Indeed, the 3rd T20 between Ireland and the Black Caps begins as I hit go on this post with the home side winning the toss and batting at the Civil Service Cricket Club (love that name) in Belfast. Oh, and congratulations on the newborn! One month old! Oh! Here’s a photo of my girl the day she was one month old, just as the pandemic was stopping everything.
And those teams as named.
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Finn Allen, Dane Cleaver (wk), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Jacob Duffy.
Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Gareth Delany, Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker (wk), George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Craig Young, Joshua Little.
The Ben Stokes Problem. How do England replace him for the World Cup defence?
How do England fill the gap left by Ben Stokes? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/Wxzqqchpfo
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 22, 2022
Further inspection 4pm
Urgh.
The inspection is happening. But the covers are still on across the main square - including the main hover cover. Not sure how they can arrange a toss time before they get a look under the hood? In the event of a 4:30pm start, ambitious as that is, Mark Butcher says there will be enough time for a 30-over game. “But it’s very grey. One of those Manchester days when you feel like you can touch the clouds.”
Updated
Some more of the Jonny Bairstow chat with Mike Atherton earlier. Really good.
“I’ll be trying to play all of them for as long as possible” 💪
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 22, 2022
Jonny Bairstow spoke to Michael Atherton about his future, changing technique and training methods over the years and gives advice to younger players! pic.twitter.com/WdO9LGmxak
Sky are back to Old Trafford. They are reiterating that there’ll be an inspection at 3:30pm then a time for the toss will be set. The rain has stopped but there’s clearly a lot of water to remove and most of the covers remain in place, including on the pitch.
Pitch inspection 3:30pm
“If no further rain,” the ECB say. Famous last words. But more good news.
Sky are showing their Shane Warne documentary. It’s great, using the 2005 Ashes as the backdrop. It’s 17 years this week since the beginning of that series, can you believe? I wrote the Spin column during the first lockdown about the opening day at Lord’s - will always be my favourite day at the cricket. Click through to see what a 20-year-old me looked like with long hair and a Hawthorn jumper at HQ (good grief).
Another Sky rain update and it is pretty positive! “The good news,” begins Nick Knight, “is that the rain has stopped for now.” Before they then they cut to a shot where it’s raining, stitching him up deluxe. But it’s barely a drizzle and the groundstaff have started the slow process of cleaning the place up. At last!
We’re only a week away from the Commonwealth Games. If you haven’t been following along, cricket will appear for only the second time as a Women’s T20 competition. Eight teams, two groups of four; in and out, quick and easy.
Picking up from my earlier post about the England rejuvination, they’ve gone with some fresh faces including Freya Kemp, the exciting 17-year-old left-armer from the Vipers. Alice Capsey, the same age, gets her first senior-squad call up after showing so much promise for the Stars over the last couple of years as a top-order technician. Also recalled from the Stars is Bryony Smith, who has used the domestic set-up to prove she’s good enough for higher honours again, routinely bowling the tough overs in the Charlotte Edwards Cup in addition to batting in the power play.
But for all of that progress and renewal, there’s little doubt that the Australians will be the team to beat for gold - as usual. They’ve won the last couple of T20 World Cups in 2018 and 2020 and, well, they’re only getting better. At the moment, they’re preparing for the Games with a tri-series in Ireland that also includes Pakistan. It’s provided Tahlia McGrath another opportunity to assert herself as the in-form all-rounder in that extraordinary team having spent a few years in the international wilderness herself until the last 12 months or so. What a return she’s enjoying.
Surrey stay on top of the county championship. That’s some win over Essex after bowling in the wild heat on day one then collapsing on day two. From their ten games they’ve won six and drawn four. Hants will narrow the gap (currently 37 points) when they complete the job against Gloucestershire, left just 82 runs to collect in their chase (starting shortly) to get the outright victory at Cheltenham. Follow the final afternoon of the round with Rob Smyth over in a second tab.
Update from the ground. It’s grim. “It will need to improve significantly from what we’ve seen so far this afternoon,” Nick Knight says. If you’re just joining us, a reminder that they need to be on by no later than 6:02pm for a 20-over match.
“Covered stands in English grounds!” You better believe I’m publishing an email with that subject line - bring it on George Young. “Do you mind if I climb on my hobby horse during this rain delay? I really think that it’s time English cricket grounds had roofs on the stands, especially when you consider how much people are being asked to play to watch cricket. We saw people cooking in the sun in Durham on Tuesday and today there is no shelter from the persistent rain. Old Trafford is a particular culprit in my experience with very few places for people to get out of the rain unless you’re one of the few in The Point. I’ve had too many days either getting sunburned or soaked, it puts me off going to be honest. Anyway, enough grumbling, hope we get some form of game later this afternoon, this is a quietly interesting series between two teams on different trajectories.”
George, you’ve found the right man for this argument. In fact, during a rainy World Cup match in 2019 where a ball wasn’t bowled between India and New Zealand, we did this very topic for approximately five hours. The ‘shadecloth in space held up by drones’ OBO, as I choose to remember it. Long story short, I couldn’t be more with you. If we can put man on the moon, SEVERAL TIMES, we can surely do this.
Speaking of Yorkshire, the new Geoff Boycott book doing the rounds, in conjunction with Jon Hotten, sounds a special piece of work. I’m yet to read it but the word from everyone I know who has is that it’s going to be award-winning. In Jim Wallace’s brilliant Spin column this week (a fine writer, relatively new to the scene, worth following) it included a chance to win a signed copy. This is ripped from the newsletter, which you should, of course, sign up to as a matter of course.
Saturday 14 March 1981, Kensington Oval, Barbados. One of the most memorable overs in Test cricket history is about to take place. Somewhere near the sightscreen at the Pavilion End, Michael “whispering death” Holding prowls at the top of his mark. A 40-year-old Geoffrey Boycott prepares to face him on a wicket with a malevolent green tinge. What might have been going through Boycott’s mind?
A new book, Being Geoffrey Boycott, written by Jon Hotten – one of the finest cricket scribes to dip a quill, and Boycott himself – provides a unique insight:
“The over that you are about to face will become a mythic thing. It will live on … There are people jumping over the pitch-side fence. There are people climbing onto the roof of the Hall & Griffith stand and perching like birds on the raked tin. Every seat, every row, every aisle of every stand is full. The noise is unreal. The air itself seems to vibrate …
When Michael begins his run, everything feels right. He is instantly in rhythm, his feet falling exactly how they should, his head swaying softly as he runs, and when he bowls it feels as though he just lets it go, but instantly, with no warmup, no loosener, he is at full pace. It comes from nowhere, happening before you know it’s happening …”
It’s a remarkable book, a literary collaboration that falls somewhere between The Damned United and Peep Show. If that has piqued your interest then answer the following (simple!) question to be in with a chance to win a signed copy.
Q: Headingley, 1977. Which player did Boycott drive through mid-on for four to bring up his hundredth First-class century?
Pop your name and the answer in an email to this address.
Spin readers can buy Being Geoffrey Boycott for £19 + p&p (RRP £25) – by using coupon code SPINBOYCS at the checkout.
Enjoyed this. By Jo Harman, the editor of Wisden Cricket Monthly, a piece that tries to get to the bottom of why Yorkshire has supplied so many England players.
The rain has started again. “But the forecast is improving,” says Nick Knight. Sky have finished their live coverage, heading off to highlights - that’s usually a sign that they don’t think we’ll be getting on any time soon. But we’ll crack on over here!
“Hi Adam, greetings from rainy Sweden.” Hello to you, Julian Menz. “Pity about the cricket of course, but it’s been horribly hot here too, and as an expat Londoner I can only imagine how unbearable temperatures in the high 30sC must be. Let it rain.”
I wouldn’t recommend throwing into the mix a toddler with chicken pox! My girl picked that up the day before the two wildly hot days. Won’t get that in a hurry.
Well, that chat took a predictable twist. Shastri got on a roll, insisting that half the Test nations have to go because they aren’t “competitive.” My first thoughts...
Shastri says sack HALF the Test-playing nations. Not the depth, he insists.
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) July 22, 2022
* Sri Lanka def Aus just last week
* Bang def Aus & Eng on their last visits
* WI def Eng three months ago
* NZ (often not in the top 6) won the WTC
* Eng were ranked No7 until five mins ago
An existential conversation is playing out on Sky. Atherton, Shastri, Butcher and Morgan are all get into it here on the economics of modern cricket. The consensus is fairly clear: the era of franchise competitions (well, the IPL) controlling the overall direction of global fixtures has well and truly arrived with the new FTP, which has been doing the rounds this week. Ali Martin reported on that document this week.
“Hi Adam,” writes David Kelsey in response to the Laura Wolvaardt chat. “I listened to both parts of The Final Word with Jeremy Coney the other day. It was/he was brilliant. He always is though. For my money, the more Jeremy Coney the better.”
If the great JV Coney is also your cup of tea, enjoy TWO HOURS of him here.
NEW EP: Jeremy Coney joins The Final Word!
— The Final Word cricket podcast (@Final_Word_Pod) July 13, 2022
On the occasion of his 70th birthday, the New Zealand giant joined us for a brilliant long chat in Galle. Here's part one. Enjoy.
⏯ https://t.co/z2Zokhnzf8
📹 https://t.co/3ztf6AtWXO@collinsadam | @geofflemonsport | @AdvHairStudio pic.twitter.com/feFop9EB45
Right, let’s keep moving. Next, to the championship! Get another tab going with Rob Smyth for the final afternoon of the round. You don’t have to scroll down far to see the beauty from Tom Helm to get rid of Cheteshwar Pujara at Lord’s, where it’s game on for Middlesex with the visitors, Sussex, 69-5 in their second dig - ahead by 107.
Last bit of Jonny. “I feel really good right now. I hated Covid. I didn’t enjoy being locked up in a hotel room being able to see my friends and family doing normal things. I didn’t like the hotel, I’m not a ‘gamer.’ And I’m someone who feeds of the crowd and getting fired up.”
That was an excellent interview - I’ll post in full when Sky tweet it out.
YJB continues. Athers asks him about where the old-fashioned ODI sits in the current landscape. “I think it is a really good format. Over the last five years the journey we have been on a group was an amazing one. I also see 50-over cricket is a stepping stone to Test cricket as you get worked over for longer and you’ve got to play [mimics Boycott accent] good cricket shots.” He adds that England need to be realistic about how long it will take for the Test team to get to where they need to be, to effecively repeat what the one-day team did.
Asked to reflect on the recent white-ball slump, Bairstow points to how few ODIs they played before this clump. “It’s something we need to be aware of but not something we need to be concerned of because the core group is there and we’re back to playing together.”
Jonny Bairstow is talking to Athers on Sky. I picked up the chat as he reflected on the “lure of a quick buck” in T20 leagues, going on contrast that to the solid foundation that the very best short-form players have earned in long-form cricket. “And that’s not to say there won’t be anomolies - those who will just play T20 - but you look at those who have sustained it, that is the journey they have been on: a basic technique that they are then able to expand on.” YJB, this is music to my ears.
Speaking of that England/South Africa Women’s series, I was down at Chelmsford with Geoff Lemon on Wednesday interviewing Laura Wolvaardt for our pod, The Final Word. At 23 years of age she’s already one of the most accomplished openers in the game; the youngest ever to 3000 ODI runs - you get the picture. She’s also got plenty going on above the shoulders, granted a place in medical school and more generally an insightful and articulate thinker on the future of the women’s game in South Africa. While it rains, pop it on on in the background. She’s very impressive.
NEW EP: South Africa's @LauraWolvaardt is one the best batters, and most interesting cricketers, going around. Really enjoyed chatting with her at Chelmsford.
— The Final Word cricket podcast (@Final_Word_Pod) July 21, 2022
⏯https://t.co/2y1woMIkHB
📹https://t.co/7CcQwbnk6T@collinsadam | @geofflemonsport | @AdvHairStudio pic.twitter.com/ovYb8GdVxR
Knighty says the rain is heavier. So let’s drift a bit. Firstly, to England’s Women, who are going brilliantly against the Proteas. After getting the better from a draw in the standalone Test at Taunton they swept the ODIs three-zip before cruising to victory in the first T20 at Chelmsford last night. They’re in the middle of a significant re-boot after falling short in the ODI World Cup Final in March both in terms of new players getting and taking their opportunities (Lamb, Wong, Bell) and changing the side’s configuration. On the latter point, Sophia Dunkley made her maiden ODI ton last week after being elevated to No3 and got their chase off to a flyer last night with most of her half-century racked up inside the power play. Here’s the match report.
Updated
Sky are on air. Goodness me, it looks foul and there’s nobody there. Uh oh. “The forecast is improving but the ground staff at the moment are watching the rain come down,” says Nick Knight. He also reminds us that a 20-over thrash is the minimum overs for a game and, to get that up, they’ll need to be on the field by 6:02pm.
Mark Butcher, wearing a brand new green flat cap, adds that they are hearing 3pm for better times above.
Toss delayed
Officially.
Preamble
Afternoon, all. The bad bit first? You won’t believe it... it’s raining at Old Trafford. Quite heavily, so says the world wide web. But there are optimistic types who believe they’ll be on an hour or two after the scheduled start of 1pm BST. As my great, great, great (great?) uncle wrote, after Ned Kelly said it on the gallows, such is life.
When they do get on, it’ll be for the second of three one-day internationals between England and South Africa with the home side in what looks to be a white-ball rut. Since the start of their run of games every other day a few weeks ago, they’ve been beaten in five of seven matches. With a T20 World Cup coming in October, then their ODI title defence a year on from that, this will soon become a bit of a thing.
Although, I’m not sure how much one can read from the series opener on Tuesday on the hottest day in British history. The fact that Matty Potts could barely function as a human being, let alone as an athletic quick, reinforced that point. Nevertheless, the Proteas played the conditions perfectly by working the fielding team over in the Hot Hot Heat with big Rassie ver der Dussen - one of the most satisfying names to say in all of world cricket - clocking his third ODI ton. He averages 75 in this format now across a sample size of 30 innings across the better part of three years.
The most noteworthy contribution for England was Mark Wood’s Sky Cricket debut, which he nailed. Oh, and both Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow returned to form (yes, they had enough time since the Tests have a rough trot) with 86 and 63 respectively.
Of course, the major structural change for Jos Buttler’s team is the fact that Ben Stokes is no longer available for selection in this format of the game after his retirement. I’m sure as the rain falls we’ll have plenty of time to get into that in your emails or if you want to hit me up on twitter. Phil Salt is likely to get his chance in a re-jigged batting line-up that might see Moeen Ali promoted back into the top four.
As for Keshav Maharaj’s team - and let’s take a moment to reflect on how wonderful it is that a finger spinner is leading an international side - they’re without Andile Phehlukwayo who copped a head knock when running into his skipper on Tuesday.
Right, we’ll take a beat now until the TV coverage begins and we have a sense of how bad the rain is/how long we’ll be talking amongst ourselves. Do keep me company.
It’s still raining @EmiratesOT 🌧
— Emirates Old Trafford (@EmiratesOT) July 22, 2022
No confirmation from the match officials, but it’s looking unlikely we’ll be starting at 1pm.
If you’re coming from further afield, gates will still open at 11am with facilities open, but those that are local, keep checking our updates. pic.twitter.com/UHIAFf1oN1
