So, England lead 2-0 with three to play. This a wonderful time to be an England cricket fan, especially after all that misery from 2013-15, and you could argue they are the most exciting team in the world. They are nowhere near the best, not yet, but everything is going in the right direction. Thanks for your company, bye!
That was another majestic performance from Jos Buttler, who tonked 48 from 28 balls to turn a tight runchase into a stroll. He is surely among the world’s best limited-overs batsmen now, and he will especially thrilled with the congratulatory handshake from his hero AB de Villiers.
ENGLAND WIN BY FIVE WICKETS
46.2 overs: England 263-5 (Buttler 48, Moeen 21) Since being dropped from the Test team, Buttler has made 330 runs at an average of 110 and a strike rate of 151. But it’s Moeen who completes a fine victory, smashing Morkel for consecutive boundaries. England have finished the match by scoring 26 off the last five deliveries!
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46th over: England 255-5 (target 263; Buttler 48, Moeen 13) Moeen is dropped! He drove Tahir high to wide long off, where Behardien put down a running catch. By modern standards that was relatively straightforward. Even by modern standards, Buttler is pretty awesome: he smashes three successive sixes with an effortless straight drive, a slog sweep and another thumping hit down the ground.
45th over: England 234-5 (target 263; Buttler 30, Moeen 10) Rabada is into his penultimate over, and South Africa really need another wicket. England do bat deep – Jordan, Rashid, Willey, Topley – but these are the last two proper batsmen. No wicket but only three runs from the over. He is so good for a 20-year-old.
44th over: England 231-5 (target 263; Buttler 29, Moeen 9) Kyle Abbott ushers England towards the finish line with a poor over that goes for 16. It includes three consecutive boundaries for Buttler, who is controlling an awkward little run-chase with such authority.
43rd over: England 215-5 (target 263; Buttler 13, Moeen 6) Yes, the square-leg umpire Dharmasena did help give Hales out. The other umpire, Johan Cloete, had his view obscured as Hales followed through after the ball hit the thigh pad, but Dharmasena was able to see that it then came off the face of the bat and went through to de Kock.
England are making this harder than it needed to be, though they are still the likelier winners. Moeen drags Rabada round the corner for four to help bring the target down to 48 from 42 balls. Should.
42nd over: England 209-5 (target 263; Buttler 13, Moeen 2) That was a really strange dismissal. Hales missed his attempted pull and only hit the ball in his follow through after it deflected off his thigh pad. The umpire took absolutely ages to give it, which makes you wonder whether the square-leg umpire had something to do with it. Anyway, however it came about, it was the right decision.
WICKET! England 202-5 (Hales c de Kock b Abbott 99)
For the second time in his England career, Alex Hales falls for 99! He tried to pull the new bowler Abbott and gloved it down the leg side. After a long delay, he was given out by the umpire. That’s a sad end to an excellent, responsible innings.
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41st over: England 202-4 (target 263; Hales 99, Buttler 9) Hales moves to 99 off Behardien, whose over completes the fifth-bowler allotment.
40th over: England 198-4 (target 263; Hales 97, Buttler 7) Hales, on 96, doesn’t pick Tahir’s googly and inside-edges it not far wide of leg stump. Four singles from the over.
39th over: England 194-4 (target 263; Hales 95, Buttler 5) A poor move from AB de Villiers, who tries to sneak in one of the remaining fifth-bowler overs at a time when it would surely have been better to keep the pressure on England. Duminy is clobbered through the covers for four by Hales, and in total the overs goes for 10. So England now need just 69 from 11 overs.
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38th over: England 184-4 (target 263; Hales 89, Buttler 1) “As a passionate, misty-eyed fan of glacially-paced Test matches, nine-hour rearguards and charmless shirtfront draws, is it misplaced if I say that this is just a touch boring?” says Robert Wilson. “I’m not sure why - actually, I am - no one playing in this games seems to care very much. It’s denting my suspension of disbelief. I need to believe...”
Hmm, yes I know what you mean: the first 35 overs felt very predictable. That said, it could be stumbling towards a thrilling conclusion.
37th over: England 180-4 (target 263; Hales 86, Buttler 0) For the first time since the start of the innings, England are under a fair bit of pressure. The new batsman is Jos Buttler, of Lancashire and the Mumbai Indians. He survives a big LBW shout second ball; he was outside the line, having walked down the wicket to Morkel, and the ball scuttled away for four leg-byes.
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WICKET! England 176-4 (Stokes b Morkel 0)
Stokes completes one of the more eventful ducks in England’s one-day history, pushing indeterminately at Morkel and dragging the ball back onto the stumps.
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36th over: England 175-3 (target 263; Hales 86, Stokes 0) That’s the end of an eventful over.
REVIEW! England 175-3 (Stokes not out 0)
It was the googly from Tahir, with Stokes missing a reverse sweep. I think it pitched outside leg. Yes, it did, so Stokes survives!
ENGLAND REVIEW! Stokes LBW b Tahir 0
This is South Africa’s chance. Another quick wicket would prompt mild panic in the England dressing-room, although they do bat really deep. How is that not out?! Stokes tried to sweep Tahir, missed, and seemed to be completely plumb. But the umpire Johan Cloete gave it not out, and of course South Africa have used their review.
In fact, it turns out it’s the right decision by the wrong working. The umpire gave leg-byes, but replays showed there was a slight underedge from Stokes. But he’s been given out this time!
35th over: England 170-3 (target 263; Hales 84, Stokes 0) Stokes is in ahead of Buttler. I’ve no idea why, perhaps to keep a left-hand/right-hand partnership.
WICKET! England 169-3 (Morgan c de Villiers b Morkel 29)
Morkel strikes with the third ball of a new spell. Morgan, on the charge, was duped by a slower leg-cutter and had to reach a long way in order to slog it to leg. The ball went miles in the air, and de Villiers ran back towards long off to take a fine catch.
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34th over: England 168-2 (target 263; Hales 82, Morgan 29) Tahir comes into the attack again. It’s “buffet stuff”, says Shaun Pollock, except he pronounces it like Phoebe’s surname in Friends. Morgan brings up a comfortable fifty partnership at more than a run a ball, and it’s time for drinks.
33rd over: England 162-2 (target 263; Hales 80, Morgan 26) When Behardien gives him a bit of width, Morgan blasts it through extra cover for four. The last ball is far too short and Morgan smashes a pull over midwicket for six! England are cruising and will have to really excel themselves if they are to cock this up.
32nd over: England 150-2 (target 263; Hales 78, Morgan 15)
31st over: England 145-2 (target 263; Hales 76, Morgan 13) Tahir was supposed to be South Africa’s matchwinner on this pitch, but he has been pulled from the attack with figures of 5-0-31-0. Hales survives an appeal for a stumping off a leg-side wide from Behardien. It went to the third umpire but his back foot stayed grounded. England need 118 from 114 balls.
30th over: England 140-2 (target 263; Hales 70, Morgan 12) If you want a job done, get a kid to do it. Rabada is back, and almost gets a wicket when Hales inside edges a big drive just wide of leg stump and away for four.
29th over: England 133-2 (target 263; Hales 69, Morgan 10) After playing himself in for precisely four deliveries, Morgan smokes Tahir over long off for six! He has been happy to be overshadowed by Jos Buttler in recent matches but we shouldn’t forget that he has been in awesome form since England’s epiphany last May. Saying which, he’s dropped later in the over, a sharp chance to the keeper de Kock after a fairly big deflection.
28th over: England 124-2 (target 263; Hales 69, Morgan 1) Hales steers Abbott to third man for four. This has been an atypical Hales innings, and as such is arguably his best for England in ODIs. England need 139 from 22 overs. They should win. Should.
“Jonty Rhodes’s and his five catches?” sniffs Bear. “Meh.I had the good fortune of playing with Roland Butcher after he had retired from the 1st class game and one match particularly sticks in my memory...He scored 120-odd with the bat, took 3 catches, ran 2 batters out and took 3 wickets with his military medium.Now THAT is a MoM performance.”
Yeah but was he drinking brandy at 5am on the morning of the match?
27th over: England 118-2 (target 263; Hales 64, Morgan 0) Tahir returns, and hurries through an over at a cost of just a single.
26th over: England 117-2 (target 263; Hales 64, Morgan 0) Jos Buttler is demoted from No4 after scoring only 221 runs in his last two innings in that position. I jest, of course: it’s good to see England being flexible with their line-up, and Morgan’s a good man to have at No4 against the slow bowlers on this slightly tricky pitch.
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WICKET! England 117-2 (Root b Abbott 38)
That’s the wicket South Africa needed. Abbott gets one to follow Root, who shaped to glide it to third man but was cramped for room and deflected the ball onto the stumps.
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25th over: England 111-1 (target 263; Hales 59, Root 37) South Africa are sticking in the game, hoping one wicket will prompt an old-style England collapse. Duminy has a biggish LBW appeal against Root turned down; it would probably have missed off stump, and South Africa have used their review anyway.
24th over: England 106-1 (target 263; Hales 56, Root 35) South Africa’s need for a wicket means the return of Kyle Abbott. Hales walks down the track and wallops the ball over midwicket for one-bounce four. That was pretty majestic.
23rd over: England 100-1 (target 263; Hales 51, Root 34) Hales reaches an impressive, sensible fifty from 68 balls, with only four fours.
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22nd over: England 94-1 (target 263; Hales 48, Root 31) Root charges Morkel and swishes at fresh air. The required rate is above six for the first time; England won’t want it to go much above seven.
21st over: England 90-1 (target 263; Hales 46, Root 29) South Africa replace their fifth bowler, Behardien, with their fifth bowler, Duminy. He is bowling his offspin from around the wicket, as so many do these days. After just a single from the first five deliveries, he errs in line and is worked fine for four by Hales.
“Hi Rob,” says Eva Maaten. “Sorry you’re not getting many mails. Am following still from Manila, but since we shall be moving to Johannesburg in the summer and already know that my husband’s new colleagues are avid cricket fans, supporting South Africa, the series takes on a special interest for us... While we are England fans, having lived in London for years, we are of course keen not to antagonise our new environment... The emerging new South African team looks quite exciting, though not as much as the England one.”
Your husband?
(Warning: clip contains adult language.)
20th over: England 84-1 (target 263; Hales 41, Root 28) Morkel beats Hales with consecutive deliveries. A wicket would change everything, not least because it will harder to start as the pitch gets more and more tired.
19th over: England 82-1 (target 263; Hales 40, Root 28) Four singles from Behardien’s third over. South Africa really need a wicket.
18th over: England 78-1 (target 263; Hales 39, Root 25) This has been a mature performance from Hales so far, showing again that it would be premature to write off his Test career at this stage. He clips Morkel in the air but short of Duminy at deep square leg, and that’s drinks. I’m away to the bathroom.
“Shout out to brother-in-law Chris, and nephews Gareth and Cavill, supporting SA at the game today,” says Roger Beardsworth. “Sadly, due to bad planning I flew back to London from Port Elizabeth this morning. Only their disappointment will cheer me up.”
17th over: England 74-1 (target 263; Hales 36, Root 24) Root is beaten by some low bounce from Behardien, another sign that the pitch is starting to die. South Africa need a wicket.
16th over: England 71-1 (target 263; Hales 34, Root 23) We still haven’t seen another replay of the Hales review. Anyway, this is a good spell for England against the slower bowlers. Root glides Tahir for four, and a scampered three off the last ball makes it 10 from the over. And it brings up the fifty partnership. Congratulations to both concerned.
“Surely you realise how hard we are all having to work,” says Angus Doulton, who is working so hard that he doesn’t even have time for a question mark. “There’s you. Then there’s the fact that an almost unknown city just north of Rutland is already 1-0 up on Man City. And now the six nations is about to start. Keeping track of it all, e’en with all the electronic whizzes in the home powering through the electricity is hard enough. Finding a moment to email you is a pretty big ask.”
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15th over: England 61-1 (target 263; Hales 30, Root 17) Jonty, of course.
@robsmyth0 MOTM mainly for fielding: https://t.co/AU8LJTGVxn
— Paul (@PaulOnBooks) February 6, 2016
REVIEW! England 55-1 (Hales not out 26)
This is all a bit odd. The keeper de Kock was so certain that he had caught Hales off Behardien’s first ball that he signalled for a review instantly and persuaded his captain de Villiers to make the request official. He was absolutely certain, and I thought I saw a deviation on the first replay. There was a noise too. But then UltraEdge showed nothing, so Hales survives and South Africa have used up their only review. I’d like to see that again.
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South Africa review: Hales not out 26
Has Hales been caught behind?
14th over: England 55-1 (target 263; Hales 26, Root 15) Ah, here we are: Gus Logie was Man of the Match for his fielding. Back in the modern world, England have started well against Tahir, that one farcical incident aside. His second over yields five singles.
13th over: England 50-1 (target 263; Hales 23, Root 13) At 13 from 32 balls, this is one of Root’s slower ODI innings. He has been as busy as ever, but it hasn’t quite happened for him yet.
“Good afternoon,” says Finbar Anslow. “Has anyone ever been awarded man of the match purely for fielding?”
I’m sure it’s happened, though I can’t think of an example. John Abrahams was famously given the MOTM Award for being.
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At 39-1 off 10 I'd think "oh well, we'll lose this", but this side is so bright & skilful I feel relaxed. It's an odd sensation @robsmyth0
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) February 6, 2016
I’ll see your optimism and lower it: we’ll lose this.
12th over: England 48-1 (target 263; Hales 22, Root 12) What a diabolical piece of cricket. The new bowler Imran Tahir’s second ball is a full toss. Hales smears it miles in the air, and it drops between the dithering du Plessis and the man at long on. That was almost up there with the Chris Rogers LBW at Lord’s in 2013.
Another ODI...
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 6, 2016
Another stunning England catch...
Chris Jordan. Take. A. Bow!
See the action on SS2 now!#SAvENG https://t.co/WU2kTfKNQM
11th over: England 42-1 (target 263; Hales 17, Root 11) Root hooks Morkel confidently, but only for a single, one of three from the over. Emails please!
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10th over: England 39-1 (target 263; Hales 15, Root 10) Hales has had enough of dot balls and decides to clump a slower ball back over Rabada’s head for four. The pitch is expected to get slower and lower, hence the need for a fast start, and there is a hint of that when Hales almost drags one onto his stumps. This has been an excellent first 10 overs, a kind of Test one-day cricket.
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9th over: England 34-1 (target 263; Hales 10, Root 10) Morkel replaces Abbott, who bowled better than figures of 4-1-17-1 suggest, and continues the good work by conceding just one from the five balls. Then Root, increasingly desperate for runs, walks across his stumps to flick the last delivery through square leg for four. Excellent improvisation.
It’s not just the bowling that has been excellent; South Africa have been full of intensity in the field. It almost brings to mind that terrifying afternoon at the Oval in 1999, when England could barely get it off the square.
8th over: England 29-1 (target 263; Hales 9, Root 6) Shaun Pollock, on commentary, reckons England needed a faster start because runscoring will become harder as the ball gets softer. But there has been so little to hit. This has been exemplary from Abbott and Rabada. Root is trying to force the issue, as he always does, but even he can’t manage it: he has six from 19 balls.
7th over: England 28-1 (target 263; Hales 8, Root 6) South Africa are all over England at the moment. Since the wicket there have been just eight runs from four overs.
6th over: England 26-1 (target 263; Hales 8, Root 4) South Africa’s pitch map in the first 10 overs of the first game was more Jackson Pollock than Shaun Pollock, but today they have been superb. The pressure is building, and there would have been a run-out chance for the bowler Rabada had he picked the ball up cleanly in his follow through. Hales was well out of his ground at the striker’s end.
REVIEW! England 25-1 (Root not out 3)
It was a good delivery, almost yorker length, and hit the pad as Root whipped across the line. This might just shave leg stump, in which case the original decision – out – will stand, but it’s probably missing. Yes, it’s sliding down so Root is not out.
England review: Root LBW b Rabada 3
Root has been given out LBW to Rabada, but it looked like it was sliding down.
5th over: England 23-1 (target 263; Hales 7, Root 3) Hales almost drags Abbott back onto the stumps. This is excellent bowling, extremely accurate and very straight to Hales in particular. A maiden.
4th over: England 23-1 (target 263; Hales 7, Root 2) After the final Test Rabada said, with delicious understatement, that he does “not like to see Root and Stokes score runs”, so this should be a good contest. Root gets going with a work to leg for two.
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3rd over: England 20-1 (target 263; Hales 6, Root 0) The contrast with the first match, when South Africa’s bowlers started filthily, has been enormous. That was a wonderful piece of bowling.
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WICKET! England 20-1 (Roy b Abbott 14)
That is one of the more emphatic dismissals you will see. After going for two boundaries earlier in the over, Abbott jags a gorgeous delivery back through the gate to send Roy’s leg stump flying.
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2nd over: England 9-0 (target 263; Roy 4, Hales 5) Kagiso Rabada starts his spell with an unusually loose delivery: short, wide and crashed behind square for four by Hales. The second ball is a beauty, bouncing over Hales’s attempted forcing stroke. This pitch has been like a trampoline in the first couple of overs.
1st over: England 4-0 (target 263; Roy 4, Hales 0) South Africa’s attack is much stronger today, with Kyle Abbott and Kagisa Rabada in for Chris Morris and Marchant de Lange. Abbott bowls the first over to Jason Roy – and drops him fourth ball! It was a very sharp return chance to his left, the kind that either stick or don’t. A fine over concludes with Roy edging through the vacant third-slip area for four.
A dignity-free plug
If you're into the whole pre-order thing, you can get I'll See You Out There here: https://t.co/8RIZDzH9rK
— Rob Smyth (@robsmyth0) February 6, 2016
Hello, Rob here. England need 263 to take an assailable 2-0 lead in this series. They are favourites, though not quite as much as you might think: this is definitely not a 399 pitch.
Innings break: South Africa 262-7
We’ll be back very shortly with England’s reply. Bye for now!
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Moeen Ali speaks:
It’s not an easy pitch but I think we bowled quite well and it’s a good score for us. The new ball didn’t come on as well, but the old ball is even harder and there’s a bit of spin as well. We’re going to have to play well to win this game.
At the death, with the short boundary quite straight on one side, I think it would have been tough (for the spinners). We’re going to bat as normal as we can, the guys will have to back their instincts.
50th over: South Africa 262-7 (Behardien 23, Abbott 7)
Topley, in search of a fifth wicket, bowls the final over, and but for a wide down the leg side it’s very nicely done. Five singles are scored, and England are all grins and high-fives at the end of it. They think this is an achievable total, and, well, only time will tell. They certainly controlled those last 10 overs very well, conceding 64 runs in the process. 262 seems a fine total – encouraging for the side batting second, but not dispiriting for the team preparing to bowl.
49th over: South Africa 256-7 (Behardien 21, Abbott 4)
Good bowling from Stokes, pitching it full and denying the batsmen a chance to really swing their bat. The first three deliveries go for singles, but Behardien heaves the next over cover for four – and it only lands a couple of yards short of the rope. The bowler responds with a yorker aimed at leg stump, which yields another single, and a full-toss to Abbott brings another.
48th over: South Africa 247-7 (Behardien 15, Abbott 1)
England are very happy with the whole only-conceding-singles thing, though it relies on the bowler not offering miscued-yorkers-cum-invitations-to-score-down-leg. Rabada tucks in to one of those, getting four for his troubles, but is out next ball, and the single life returns.
WICKET! Rabada c Morgan b Topley 12 (South Africa 245-7)
A slower ball, and Rabada doesn’t judge it at all, top-edging the ball over his left shoulder to backward point, where Morgan takes an easy catch!
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47th over: South Africa 239-6 (Behardien 13, Rabada 8)
Willey continues, and this time South Africa score in an even more regular 1-1-1-1-1-1 pattern. Meanwhile, an English cricketer/IPL auction update:
#IPLAuction @sambillings is a #DilliBoy now!
— Delhi Daredevils (@DelhiDaredevils) February 6, 2016
Big shout out to the English man! pic.twitter.com/xqJzvUDb9k
@IPL @DelhiDaredevils can't wait to join up! Should be awesome 🙌🏼😎👍🏼 #Taaaap
— Sam Billings (@sambillings) February 6, 2016
46th over: South Africa 234-6 (Behardien 10, Rabada 5)
Four more runs on the board, all of them singles, with South Africa scoring in a pleasingly regular 1-1-0-0-1-1 formation.
45th over: South Africa 230-6 (Behardien 8, Rabada 3)
The wind is picking up now, but the run rate isn’t particularly. Five off Willey’s sixth over, and I think South Africa need at least 260-odd to have met par, and 280+ to feel at all smug.
44th over: South Africa 225-6 (Behardien 6, Rabada 0)
Three singles from Topley’s over, and the wicket from the last. England have had a little luck here, with both of the last two wickets, but it really did seem that something made the ball move there, and it can only have been the bat. And talking of good catches, here’s that Jordan effort in full:
Another ODI...
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 6, 2016
Another stunning England catch...
Chris Jordan. Take. A. Bow!
See the action on SS2 now!#SAvENG https://t.co/WU2kTfKNQM
WICKET! Rossouw c Buttler b Topley 11 (South Africa 225-6)
Oh but that is close. I think they’ve got to stick with the on-field umpire here, though. The ball appeared to deviate, but UltraEdge can’t really tell the difference between bat-on-ball and near-simultaneous bat-on-ground. A great, low, diving catch from Buttler, though, to at least give the umpire a decision to make. It takes an age to come, and when it does, he’s out!
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REVIEW! Is Rossouw out here?
The umpire didn’t think so, and indeed nobody seemed particularly excited about it, but there’s just a chance that the ball flicked the bat on its way through here, and England are going to check!
43rd over: South Africa 222-5 (Rossouw 10, Behardien 4)
Stokes bowls, and a wide and five singles follow. “Given the way things are going, shouldn’t there be a special award for Catch of the Match?” wonders John Starbuck, apropos Jordan’s 41st-over wonder. We’ve got enough awards, methinks, and the catch carries its own reward, surely. When Jordan next logs on to Twitter he’ll see that his efforts were acknowledged and appreciated, and that should be all he needs. It was a beauty, though.
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42nd over: South Africa 216-5 (Rossouw 8, Behardien 1)
Roussouw gets off the mark in style with a lovely cover drive, and gets even further off the mark by pushing Topley’s final delivery back the way it came for four more. Ten runs from the over, but also a key wicket.
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WICKET! Duminy lbw b Topley 47 (South Africa 206-5)
A game-changing few minutes for England! And to add to the sense that this match is swinging their way, this shouldn’t have been given – the ball looked on first viewing to be heading down leg, and replays confirm it! De Kock however wasted South Africa’s one review some time ago, so Duminy’s got to go!
WICKET! Topley traps Duminy! It would have missed but SA have no more reviews https://t.co/zfomvITeNG pic.twitter.com/x4mrZUbQHa
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 6, 2016
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41st over: South Africa 206-4 (Duminy 47, Roussouw 0)
South Africa passed 100 in the 21st over, and now 200 in the 41st over. Top marks for consistency there. The delivery after they reach that landmark flicks de Villiers’ pad and disappears down the leg side for four leg byes, but his innings is over one ball later, and that might change everything.
WICKET! De Villiers c Jordan b Stokes 73 (South Africa 205-4)
De Villiers sends the ball into orbit! Up and up and up it goes! But he hasn’t quite got hold of it! Jordan at midwicket turns around and runs towards the rope. Down and down and down it comes, Jordan still running and looking over his shoulder, until finally it comes to earth with his hands underneath it! Thunderously difficult catch that, beautifully taken.
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40th over: South Africa 198-3 (De Villiers 71, Duminy 45)
Oooh! De Villiers tries to cut a ball that jags into him, misses it completely and is extremely fortunate to see it fly just over the stumps. Jordan’s over is however bookended by violent boundaries, Duminy hitting the first for four and de Villiers absolutely clobbering the last over deep midwicket for the day’s second six. 13 runs from the over.
39th over: South Africa 185-3 (De Villiers 63, Duminy 40)
Stokes bangs one into Duminy’s hitting zone, and he hits it hard, wide of cover, and just stands there, bat frozen at the top of its swing, admiring the ball’s journey to the rope. England hand out another bonus run from the last ball, which flies straight to a fielder who, with both batsmen in their creases, takes a wholly unnecessary shy at the stumps, hits them, and they jog an easy single as the ball deflects away.
38th over: South Africa 175-3 (De Villiers 59, Duminy 35)
De Villiers tries to smash the ball over midwicket, but the ball doesn’t go anywhere near where he expected it, or when, and he gets next to nothing on it. Undaunted, he tries to smash the next over the covers, gets a thick edge and it flies straight behind him for four. A noticeable shift in ambition, even if the pitch still seems to be confounding him. Then a single, and a drop! Duminy edges, and the ball flies into the meat of a diving Buttler’s glove – and then out again!
@Simon_Burnton In Bloemfontein England were 263/4 after 36 overs. SA 165/3 here at the same stage. Different sorta ODI so far. #SAvENG
— David Thompson (@oinkbaamoo) February 6, 2016
37th over: South Africa 167-3 (De Villiers 54, Duminy 35)
Moeen’s now all bowled out, his last over costing two runs and his 10 costing a combined 41. And so we enter the final 13 overs, with less spin and more runs anticipated.
36th over: South Africa 165-3 (De Villiers 53, Duminy 34)
Jordan bowls, and three singles take us through to drinks. De Villiers’ innings so far: three fours (Duminy, incidentally, is still in search of his first), two twos, 37 singles, 34 dots.
This is currently the fourth slowest of de Villiers' ODI scores of more than 50: https://t.co/1F8ItQUJzp . #SAvEng #CricViz
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) February 6, 2016
35th over: South Africa 162-3 (De Villiers 52, Duminy 33)
Moeen penultimate over yields a wide and another small heap of singles.
34th over: South Africa 157-3 (De Villiers 50, Duminy 31)
Ooooh! Duminy attempts a pull and bottom-edges into the turf, the ball heading vaguely stumpwards for a moment before flicking off his back leg to safety. That’s a rare outbreak of near-drama, though, with the batsmen otherwise running stress-free ones and twos, and de Villiers scoring his 50th run from the final delivery.
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33rd over: South Africa 150-3 (De Villiers 48, Duminy 26)
From nowhere, a maiden from Moeen, the first since over No4. ‘Twas all different then.
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32nd over: South Africa 150-3 (De Villiers 48, Duminy 26)
An end to the spin twins, as Chris Jordan – England’s most expensive bowler by a distance in the first game – comes on. Duminy licks his lips and swings his bat, top-edging the ball just over short midwicket. He gets away with it, and gets two runs for his troubles, but promptly reins in his ambition a bit. A few singles follow.
31st over: South Africa 145-3 (De Villiers 47, Duminy 22)
Moeen keeps going, and a misfield from the man backing up behind the stumps as Willey tries to throw them down turns a sharp single into an easy three. And then Willey has another shy at the stumps, and it’s an absolutely useless one, flying well wide both of them and the chap backing up and rushing away to the boundary for five. An ugly, messy over from the fielding side.
30th over: South Africa 135-3 (De Villiers 45, Duminy 14)
Rashid’s final over contains one absolute snorter, ripping off the turf and turning a corner, leaving de Villiers flummoxed. That is, though, one of only two dots, buoys in a sea of singles.
29th over: South Africa 131-3 (De Villiers 43, Duminy 12)
A Duminy single, four dots, and then a de Villiers reverse sweep for four, the first boundary for 46 deliveries. We’re getting occasional glimpses of magic, and the promise of more to come.
28th over: South Africa 126-3 (De Villiers 39, Duminy 11)
An 11th consecutive over of spin, but this can’t go on much longer – this is Rashid’s ninth, and he’s only got one left. Though I guess there’s always Root. Anyway, four more singles.
27th over: South Africa 122-3 (De Villiers 37, Duminy 9)
Moeen bowls, South Africa score three singles. The overs are whooshing past here, and the scoreboard is still ticking only slowly.
26th over: South Africa 119-3 (De Villiers 35, Duminy 8)
The brass band in Port Elizabeth is utterly relentless. They just keep on parping. Really excellent commitment. And it even sounds quite good. A lot of tunes I must admit I don’t know, but their version of All About That Bass was particularly impressive.
25th over: South Africa 114-3 (De Villiers 32, Duminy 6)
Again, two singles. But also a wide! We’re halfway through the innings, and it’s just kind of rumbling by.
24th over: South Africa 111-3 (De Villiers 31, Duminy 5)
And the seventh over of spin also brings two singles. The calm before the (anticipated) storm.
23rd over: South Africa 109-3 (De Villiers 30, Duminy 4)
A sixth successive over of spin, and the (joint) cheapest, bringing as it does just the two singles.
22nd over: South Africa 107-3 (De Villiers 29, Duminy 3)
A beauty of a shot from de Villiers steers the ball to the third man boundary for four. And three more singles.
21st over: South Africa 100-3 (De Villiers 24, Duminy 1)
Moeen’s over starts with three dots and ends with a fourth. In between, though, South Africa get the two singles they need to take them into triple figures.
20th over: South Africa 98-3 (De Villiers 23, Duminy 0)
The wicket falls from the fifth delivery. The first four had been very much a continuation of the recent theme – a couple of singles and a single couple – but now there’s another new partnership to establish.
WICKET! Du Plessis c Jordan b Rashid 46 (South Africa 98-3)
England make a breakthrough! Despite the temptation to stick him in a single-stopping position elsewhere Jordan remains at slip, and when du Plessis tries to work the ball onto the leg side, the ball grips off the pitch, takes the outside edge and plops into Jordan’s bucket hands!
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19th over: South Africa 94-2 (Du Plessis 45, De Villiers 20)
De Villiers sends the ball wide of third man for four in the middle of Moeen’s over, which with a wide and some further scoreboard-ticklage ends up costing nine. Entirely stress-free scoring, this, with the batsmen expertly locating apparently infinite single-taking opportunities.
18th over: South Africa 85-2 (Du Plessis 44, De Villiers 13)
Rashid continues, as does South Africa’s constant scoreboard tickling. 1-1-1-1-1-2. At which Morgan decides to go with spin at both ends, with the ball being tossed to Moeen Ali.
17th over: South Africa 78-2 (Du Plessis 40, De Villiers 10)
A couple more singles and then du Plessis sends the ball crashing through the covers for four. And then a couple more singles. An entirely untroubled eight off the over, which is followed by drinks.
16th over: South Africa 70-2 (Du Plessis 34, De Villiers 8)
Three more singles and a couple, and South Africa keep ticking along, slow and steady, with the promise of excitement to come.
15th over: South Africa 65-2 (Du Plessis 30, De Villiers 7)
This is utterly unhurried stuff from South Africa, who since the last ball of over No10 have scored only in singles. Four more of them here.
14th over: South Africa 61-2 (Du Plessis 28, De Villiers 5)
Rashid keeps going, and South Africa score four, all singles.
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13th over: South Africa 57-2 (Du Plessis 26, De Villiers 3)
Stokes bowls at du Plessis, who flails his bat wildly. Had he only middled it the ball would still be travelling, but as it is it looked ugly and uncontrolled, and even a single was a bit risky.
12th over: South Africa 55-2 (Du Plessis 25, De Villiers 2)
So, a first look at Rashid and some clues as to how the spinners might fare on this surface. And early signs are promising, with just the single run scored.
11th over: South Africa 54-2 (Du Plessis 25, De Villiers 1)
Two singles and a wicket from the over, which given that the last four had cost on average 10 apiece represents a return to frugality for England.
Updated
WICKET! De Kock lbw b Stokes 22 (South Africa 53-2)
It all came down to whether the ball pitched in line with leg stump, which it did. Just. The rest was formality.
Updated
REVIEW!
Is de Kock out here? England think so, the umpire thinks so, the batsman has crossed his fingers and sent it upstairs.
10th over: South Africa 52-1 (De Kock 22, Du Plessis 24)
The batsmen appear to have located some kind of magic run-tap, and lustily twisted it. Du Plessis hits Willey’s second ball for four, just about deals with a corking yorker next up, and then hammers the next over midwicket for six, before a single gives de Kock the chance to work the last wide of cover for four more. Fifteen runs from the over.
9th over: South Africa 37-1 (De Kock 18, Du Plessis 13)
The first bowling change sees Stokes replace Topley, and de Kock hit probably the shot of the day so far, a lovely straight drive for four, and then go through midwicket for four more off the last, which may have been three had Adil Rashid, who fielded on the boundary, not been wearing a cap, which just kissed the rope while he was holding the ball.
8th over: South Africa 27-1 (De Kock 10, Du Plessis 12)
Willey bowls, and South Africa score three singles and a pair. Buttler’s price was driven up by some competition from Kolkata Knight Riders. Morris’s price is probably the big surprise of the auction so far, but I guess there’s still time for a couple more when they come back from lunch.
Morning @Simon_Burnton. Cracking start from England here. Chris Morris going for double Buttler in the IPL? The world is a funny place.
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) February 6, 2016
7th over: South Africa 22-1 (De Kock 7, Du Plessis 11)
Two more singles, the second another leading edge from de Kock, and then du Plessis chips the ball to deep midwicket, where the fielder hares in an attempt to catch it, misjudges, slips over and the ball bounces over his prone form and to the rope. Topley’s clearly grumpy at this turn of events, which is perhaps he gets the line of his final delivery wrong, and it’s tickled down the leg side for another four.
6th over: South Africa 12-1 (De Kock 6, Du Plessis 2)
Willey’s most expensive over so far, costing as it does two singles. If you’re in Australia, or can convince your computer that you’re in Australia, and haven’t seen this Adam Milne catch from earlier today, you probably should.
'That is the most astonishing outfield catch you will ever see!'
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) February 6, 2016
Watch here: https://t.co/DUAM8HGwmG #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/MlVUqPnMk6
5th over: South Africa 10-1 (De Kock 5, Du Plessis 1)
Ooooh! De Kock tries to work a full toss to midwicket, mistimes it and sends a leading edge flying over the bowler’s head but safely short of mid off. And then … oooh! He edges the next, but it lands a metre or so short of Jordan at second slip. And then … aaah! He drives the next through the covers for four, a lovely shot.
4th over: South Africa 4-1 (De Kock 0, Du Plessis 0)
Great control here from England. After 8% of their innings South Africa, if they keep going at this rate, are on course for a 50-run total. A third successive maiden.
3rd over: South Africa 4-1 (De Kock 0, Du Plessis 0)
South Africa have scored from one of the 18 deliveries bowled this morning, and this second successive maiden has a wicket in it to boot. A fine start from England, and it looks like this is going to be a pretty different game to Bloemfontein, where England were 32-0 at this stage.
WICKET! Amla b Topley 4 (South Africa 4-1)
There’s no doubt about this one! Amla expects more inswing than Topley achieves, and the ball straightens off the pitch, flies wide of his bat, clips his pad and clatters into off stump!
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2nd over: South Africa 4-0 (Amla 4, De Kock 0)
A bit of swing for Willey, moving away from the left-handed De Kock. And again the bowler thinks he’s made a breakthrough, but though there’s a noise as ball passes swishing bat it comes from the bat hitting the ground, the ball passing through unmolested. The next ball’s a beauty, but passes inside the bat and outside the wicket. Still, a fine first over, and the first maiden of the series so far.
The IPL auction is taking place this morning in Bangalore, here are some selected sold players #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/o9x3qm0Mbs
— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) February 6, 2016
1st over: South Africa 4-0 (Amla 4, De Kock 0)
Reece Topley gets the game started, and gets very excited when his second delivery smacks Amla full on the pads, at least until his captain tells him it came off the edge of the batsman’s blade. And at that moment the Guardian decides to test its fire alarm system. Topley gets five-sixths of the way to a maiden over, and then Amla clips the last to fine leg for four.
Beautiful blue skies in Port Elizabeth, and while some fairly serious wind is forecast, it doesn’t look like anything’s going to interrupt the action. Which starts in a few seconds’ time.
While the anthems blare, here’s a reminder of the teams
England: Hales, Roy, Root, Morgan*, Stokes, Buttler, Ali, Jordan, Rashid, Willey, Topley.
South Africa: Amla, de Kock, du Plessis, de Villiers*, Duminy, Rossouw, Behardien, Rabada, Abbott, Morkel, Tahir.
Here's the SA team for today's second #MomentumODI v England #SAvENG #ProteaFire pic.twitter.com/CUaimYm5mz
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 6, 2016
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Sam Billings was also unsold in the IPL auction.
.josbuttler is sold to mipaltan for INR 380 lacs #IPLauction
— IPL2015 (@IPL2015Update) February 6, 2016
Sam Billings remains unsold #IPLauction
— IPL2015 (@IPL2015Update) February 6, 2016
Chris Jordan remains unsold #IPLauction
— IPL2015 (@IPL2015Update) February 6, 2016
England are unchanged, and Eoin Morgan says he also would have batted. “It looks a little bit dry, and with the wind this morning it could help the swing bowlers. There is a temptation to play Stuart Broad but there’s also a bit of continuity to the side. Stuart hasn’t played for a year or so, and this gives him time to work on his white ball skills and hopefully play a part later in the series.”
South Africa win the toss and will bat first
Two changes: Kyle Abbott and Kagiso Rabada are in, Chris Morris and Marchant de Lange are out. “We looked dangerous in the first game. The top seven’s all in good form and we’re looking forward to getting some runs on the board.”
The IPL auction is happening right now. Chris Jordan has gone unsold, but Jos Buttler has been snapped up:
RT englandcricket: England wicketkeeper-batsman josbuttler will play for mipaltan in the 2016 IPL #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/tgMTV4RlOl
— IPL2015 (@IPL2015Update) February 6, 2016
Hello world!
News from Port Elizabeth, such as it is, is that Kagiso Rabada is pacing around the outfield even as I type, looking very much like someone preparing for a day’s action. England may well be unchanged, though Vic Marks in his preview mooted a potential Broad/Jordan swaperoo. More news when I get it …
Simon will be here soon. Whilst you wait, have a read of Vic Marks’s preview from Port Elizabeth.
If there is to be any respite for the bowlers in this 50-over series it is likely to come here. St George’s Park provides a characterful venue, much beloved by South African cricketers. The brass band plays in the stands (with a wonderful Stand By Me ringing out several times a day). “It’s the closest we come to your Barmy Army,” said Faf du Plessis. “It is one of our favourite grounds.”
But it is not, usually, the batsmen’s favourite ground. The ball tends to keep low and at sea level it does not travel quite so far once lofted. Sometimes there is a little seam movement. The last time England were here, in 2009, they bowled South Africa out for 119 in a one-day international with Jimmy Anderson taking five for 23; Graeme Swann did not get a bowl.
Since 1992 there have been five scores over 300 in Port Elizabeth, but in the current climate it is still possible that one or two batsmen will run riot. Modern cricketers are reluctant to compromise just because of a supposed tricky surface.
Ben Stokes epitomises that and, reflecting on England’s first innings of the series, 399 for 9, in Bloemfontein, he said: “That is how we want to play our cricket. If we come off then we’re probably going to get totals like that more often than not. We might have the odd game where we get bowled out for 260 or 270 going for that big score, but that was a big score for England three or four years ago.”
For the full article, click here.
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