Read the full match report here, then have your say in the comments:
In the end the brutality of that was almost funny. We can bemoan England’s collapse of seven for 14 – something that wouldn’t look out of place in 1991 – all we like, but even if Buttler and Morgan had stuck around and got them to 220 it probably wouldn’t have been enough with AB and Amla in that kind of mood. The former hit 71 from 29 and the latter was unbeaten on a gorgeous 69 from 38.
The good news for England heading into the World T20 next month is that they probably won’t get a vicious battering like that again. The good news for South Africa, who have now won five white-ball matches against England in a row, is that they can do that and can still welcome Quinton de Kock back into the team. Which is terrifying.
I’m off to the pub. Thanks for reading, bye!
South Africa win by nine wickets with 32 balls to spare
15th over: South Africa 172-1 (Du Plessis 22, Amla 69) target 172 Eoin Morgan decides that Chris Jordan’s punishment for going at 20.5 – twenty point five – an over is that he will bowl what is probably going to be the final over. The batsman exchange identikit pushes out to cover for singles from the first two. Amla nudges behind square leg to bring victory to within a shot and Du Plessis administers the final blow, guiding it nicely through extra cover for four.
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14th over: South Africa 165-1 (Du Plessis 17, Amla 67) target 172 Du Plessis pushes out to midwicket for a couple first up. They nurdle three more singles then Amla slog sweeps from miles outside off stump, over midwicket and away for six more. One from the last means South Africa need seven from six overs.
13th over: South Africa 153-1 (Du Plessis 13, Amla 59) target 172 I’d say England can’t afford to miss chances like this, but to be honest the result will be the same either way. Faf charges down the wicket and misses a googly but Buttler can’t gather and they take a couple of byes down to fine leg. Rashid has bowled well really... oh no as soon as I write that Amla goes down on one knee and clears long on for his second six. Rashid finishes with one for 30, which is relatively creditable.
“If England win from here, I’ll personally make every contributor to this OBO a cocktail of their choice and bring it to their house wearing only a bow tie and bar towel to cover my modesty,” offers Simon McMahon. Er, generously.
12th over: South Africa 144-1 (Du Plessis 12, Amla 53) target 172 If De Villiers hadn’t got out I imagine this’d be over by now. These two, on the other hand, are content to knock the spinners around for singles and waltz home. Six of ‘em from this over.
11th over: South Africa 138-1 (Du Plessis 9, Amla 50) target 172 South Africa need 38 to win. I reckon they’re favourites from here. Indeed the bookies make them 750 to one on to win. Four singles, the last of which takes Amla to a half-century from 27 balls.
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10th over: South Africa 134-1 (Du Plessis 7, Amla 48) target 172 Moeen, whose bowling would justify his inclusion in the team if he were batting at 11, comes into the attack. Two singles from the first four balls then the fifth, a touch too full, is pushed sweetly through mid-off for four by Du Plessis. Moeen is now England’s most economical bowler having conceded just seven.
9th over: South Africa 127-1 (Du Plessis 1, Amla 47) target 172 De Villiers begins the over with his customary boundary, driven hard through extra cover for another four. That’s the end of his fun though as he holes out to Root having pretty well won the game for his side. There’s an appeal for lbw against Amla straight away and it looks very good, but the umpire says no. There may have been a tiny inside edge.
“Hi again,” begins Robin Hazelhurst. “Thinking of the positives, England will take massive momentum into the World Cup thingy if they win from here.”
Wicket! De Villiers c Root b Rashid 71
Game on. De Villiers takes his hand of the bat and thus doesn’t get enough on this one. Root takes the catch at deep extra.
8th over: South Africa 121-0 (De Villiers 67, Amla 46) target 172 Topley is back. After going for 12 in his only over so far, he has the second best economy rate of any England bowler today – Stokes leads the way with 10.33. After a couple of singles, De Villiers gets things back on track with a big swing down the ground for six more. Topley goes leg side, De Villiers picks him up with the slog sweep over long leg for his sixth six. A single, a wide and then a wristy flick through square leg for four by Amla to finish the over.
The way they're going, SA are going to win this by a cricket score #SAvEng
— Alan R Gardner (@alanroderick) February 21, 2016
7th over: South Africa 101-0 (De Villiers 53, Amla 41) target 172 Time for Adil Rashid to pull this one back for England. He begins with a full toss that De Villiers dumps over midwicket and literally out the ground. Rashid responds with a flatter, quicker one that AB bottom edges twix the legs of Buttler for two and he knocks the next one to midwicket to bring up a 21-ball half-century: the fastest by a South African in T20s. Another one to Amla then De Villiers brings up the 100 – IN THE SEVENTH OVER – with a cut over the slips for two.
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6th over: South Africa 88-0 (De Villiers 41, Amla 40) target 172 Amla goes inside out to a full first ball and clears extra cover for six more. This is utterly, utterly sublime from Hash. More of the same second ball, this time harder but flatter and just the four. Timing next and it’s through the fielders for a third boundary in a row. This isn’t even bad bowling from Stokes. Amla tries to swivel-pull the fourth and there’s a noise, but the umpire says no. Replays show it’s off the arm guard and that’s a very good decision. Pair of singles from the last two and it’s a muted 16 from the final over of the powerplay.
“England’s total looking a few short at the moment,” reckons Simon McMahon. “Champagne batting from de Villiers and Amla, though.”
Do you think it might be short Simon? Do you?
5th over: South Africa 72-0 (De Villiers 40, Amla 25) target 172 I swear I’m not making this up. England stick with Jordan and, with fine leg up, he begins with a long hop that Amla pulls nicely off the back foot behind square for four. Then back-to-back wides from poor old Jordan, who will surely be taken out of the firing line soon. The decision to play just five bowlers here is looking somewhat iffy now. Amla uses his wrists again to play a lovely classical cover drive away for four more and the first two balls of this over have gone for 10. Four more when Jordan goes straight and Amla times him through midwicket. Then he rocks back and drives through extra cover for a fourth four from four legal deliveries. Cheers from the crowd when Jordan bowls a dot. A single off the last and Jordan has figures of 0-0-41-0.
4th over: South Africa 53-0 (De Villiers 40, Amla 8) target 172 Oh that is wonderful. Amla drives inside-out and on the up, all in the wrists, over extra cover for four. A single brings the merciless killing machine that is AB de Villiers on strike and he swings a full toss through the despairing hands of mid on and away to the boundary once more. Ooh and then he bottom-edges an attempted cut just past his stumps, past Buttler and down to fine leg for a third boundary of the over.
Don't be too hard on them, @DanLucas86. They're a young side still failing utterly to learn from their mistakes.
— Robert Wolf Petersen (@robwolfpetersen) February 21, 2016
3rd over: South Africa 40-0 (De Villiers 32, Amla 3) target 172 Topley is hooked after just one over and Jordan, who was excellent at Cape Town, replaces him. De Villiers hooks him unconvincingly first ball but there’s no one out at midwicket and they get a couple of comfortable runs. Much better next from AB, who smashes a pull flat and fast through the same region for four; the field is completely wrong for that length. He goes fuller and De Villiers goes inside out over extra cover for a quite brilliant six that lands right on the rope! AB swings and misses at the next: he’s looking to get this over and done with quickly. Four more, brilliantly guided up and over cover to the fence, working with the away swing. Last ball is back of a length and De Villiers charges it, clubbing it way over midwicket for six more! 22 from the over.
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2nd over: South Africa 18-0 (De Villiers 10, Amla 3) target 172 Ben Stokes will share the new ball in the absence of Willey. His second ball is chipped unconvincingly by Amla just inches over Moeen, backpeddling at mid-on. They go for a sharp single next ball and Stokes fields well off his own bowling, picking up, turning and hitting the stumps from short midwicket but Amla was well home. De Villiers picks up a leg-bye off the last to retain the strike but that’s a good over from Stokes. England need wickets though.
Oh England. Even for us, this collapse is a collector's item. 171 snatched from 220. We do find new ways to balls things up @DanLucas86
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) February 21, 2016
1st over: South Africa 14-0 (De Villiers 10, Amla 0) De Villiers begins the chase perfectly, with a flick over square leg for four. Topley responds with a couple of wides down the leg side then, the third time he drifts down that line, De Villiers middles him over midwicket for a mighty six. A couple of leg byes off the last.
England’s collapse – seven for 21 – means South Africa should win, though Buttler and Morgan batted exquisitely enough that England have a chance.
Right that was a fast turnaround. The chase has started.
16th over: England 150-3 (Morgan 37, Buttler 48)
19th over: England 166-9 (Topley 0, Rashid 0)
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England 171 (19.4)
20th over: England 171 (Topley 1) Rabada to bowl the final over with Rashid on strike. He begins with a wide down the leg side, which, frankly, feels condescending. Topley gets a single to mid on. Rashid then goes for a mighty mow and gets a big top edge but the ball drops just beyond the chasing De Villiers. They run two and England are bowled out the very next ball
Wicket! Rashid b Rabada 2
Swings, misses, off-stump knocked out the ground once again.
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19th over: England 166-9 (Topley 0, Rashid 0) Morgan and Buttler, by the way, put on 97 at more than 10 an over. Billings gets off the mark by smearing a full one from off stump through extra cover for four. He’s then surprised by a chest-high full-toss that should be called a no ball but isn’t. He and Jordan go to consecutive deliveries, leaving Topley to face the hat-trick ball, which he sees off. England have lost six for nine in 12 balls.
Wicket! Billings c Amla b Abbott 5
There is one man stood at square leg. Abbott delivers a long hop. Billings could hit it wherever he likes. Sigh.
Wicket! Jordan c Du Plessis b Abbott 1
Back of a length and Jordan aims over cow corner. He gets a massive leading edge though and Du Plessis steadies himself before taking it at short extra cover.
18th over: England 160-7 (Billings 0, Jordan 0) England have lost four wickets for three runs in six balls. South Africa are going to win this.
Wicket! Moeen c Duminy b Morris 1
Moeen lifts hit high over cover and Duminy comes around to take an excellent sliding catch. Moeen departs for his usual contribution of naff all: his last four scores have been 1, 0, 0 and 0.
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Wicket! Stokes c & b Morris 1
Stokes appears to hit it into the ground and send a bump ball back to the bowler. South Africa appeal optimistically and the umpires check just to make sure. This is very bizarre: he’s closed the bat face and somehow the ball has looped up straight back to the bowler!
Abbott should have warned Morgan he was going to leave his hand trailing there
— Dan Lucas (@DanLucas86) February 21, 2016
17th over: England 158-5 (Billings 0, Stokes 1) Back comes Abbott and Morgan drives him down to long off for one. Buttler then brings up his 50 with his fourth six – to go with four fours – clubbed over mid on and this time, disappointingly, only into the second tier. That’s the end of his fun though, Faf du Plessis ruining it for everyone with a very sharp catch. The two wickets in two balls bring little relief for South Africa though as the new pair are Ben Stokes and Sam Billings. Then again England will have been thinking about 200; they probably won’t now.
Wicket! Morgan run out 0
Oh this is lucky. Stokes murders a full one back down the ground. It hits Abbott’s trailing right hand and cannons into the stumps with Morgan backing up too far.
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Yep he's out
Boooooo! Buttler goes for a brilliant 54 from 28 balls.
Wicket? Buttler c Du Plessis b Abbott 54
Buttler reaches for a wide full toss and can only drag it to extra cover. Du Plessis dives forward to takes a very good low catch and we’re just checking to confirm it with the third umpire.
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16th over: England 150-3 (Morgan 37, Buttler 48) Morris returns. I wonder if Du Plessis is tempted to bring Abbott back to try and break this partnership? Morgan goes over mid-off for a couple then toe-ends it flat over midwicket for six more. Down the ground next and Miller fields brilliantly, picking up one handed and throwing back right over the stumps in one smooth motion. The batsmen dare not risk a second to that. Morris looks nervous bowling to Buttler: he sends down back-to-back wides, first leg-side then outside off. He comes back well though, beating Buttler with a bouncer then getting in a 90mph yorker that the batsman digs out for two. Four from the last ball, splattered through midwicket along the ground with awful timing but plenty of power.
15th over: England 133-3 (Morgan 28, Buttler 42) Wiese’s profligacy means that JP Duminy is called upon to bowl, round the wicket. Jos Buttler loves the look of this and mullers his first ball over cow corner for six. The second is nailed back down the ground and very well fielded by the sliding Rossouw, saving a couple. Down the ground next from Buttler and he’s smashed it into the top tier again! Extraordinary hitting from Buttler. He pushes the fourth ball out to deep mid-on to give Morgan a go at the part-timer. He can only get him away for one but that’s 16 from the over.
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14th over: England 117-3 (Morgan 27, Buttler 27) England will want 190 here, especially if they can get through this final over from Tahir. Buttler, moving back and forth across the crease, smears him out to cover point for one. Then, after Morgan takes a single of his own, he’s beaten by a leg-break that turns a long way past the outside edge. A single then a two take the partnership to 50 from 37 balls. And make that 56 from 38 as Morgan slog sweeps over wide mid-on once again for six more. What was that about him looking out of touch?
13th over: England 106-3 (Morgan 18, Buttler 25) Wiese has the most half-hearted of half-hearted appeals first up when Buttler bottom edges a yorker into the ground and through to De Villiers. The umpires check with the TMO but it’s clearly not out and Buttler celebrates with a strong bottom handed mow over extra cover for four, despite it being a very full ball again. A single to the same region then Morgan gets in on the act, stepping down the track and lifting a glorious checked drive over long on for six. That’s more like it and it brings up the England 100. He goes again next ball, this time more towards wide mid on and it sails over the ropes for six more! Wiese has gone for 40 from his three overs.
12th over: England 89-3 (Morgan 6, Buttler 20) Morgan reverse sweeps just short of Duminy at backward point and is then relieved to see a poor throw well away from the stumps as he scrambles a single. One more single then Morgan chops off the bottom edge just wide of his stumps. He looks in such terrible nick and Buttler has to scream at the top of his lungs to prevent the captain from taking a suicidal single off the last. Two from an excellent over for South Africa.
11th over: England 87-3 (Morgan 5, Buttler 19) Wiese returns for Morris and Buttler goes deep in his crease and hammers a cut between gully and point away for four. That’s nothing compared to the next ball, back of a length outside off and Buttler sends it deep into the top tier of the big stand behind midwicket. That’s one of the biggest sixes you’ll ever see – he looked surprised by his own power there. A pair of singles complete a better over for England.
“If ‘losing habit’ is really a thing, then England looked to have picked it up at the worst time possible,” writes Krishnan Patel. “I fear for the team if they go into the world Cup on the back of five defeats. To make it all the more demoralizing, it was more “bottling” it than being outplayed.”
He’s right, you know.
10th over: England 74-3 (Morgan 3, Buttler 8) We begin with four to Buttler, a screamer through extra cover that beats Faf du Plessis’s dive. The South Africa captain responds well with a pair of excellent stops, keeping Buttler to one and Morgan to zip. Just a couple more singles from that over.
“Afternoon Dan.” Afternoon, Sterling Archer Simon McMahon.
“After Friday’s shenanigans, I think it’s only fair that the offer of cocktails on me in the event of a super over stands. And as much as I like a good single malt, it’s American whisky rather than Scotch that makes the best Manhattan. Is there a more evocative opening line than Bette Midler’s ‘Bartender, I’d like a Manhattan, please’ at the start of I Never Talk To Strangers?”
9th over: England 66-3 (Morgan 1, Buttler 2) Buttler gets a single then Morgan guides a short one just past slip and down to third man for the same. That really was a shocking call from the England captain for the run-out and you can’t blame Hales for looking absolutely disgusted. A wide down the leg side but Morris comes back well with a ripper that beats Buttler’s outside edge. Ah, then another wide off an attempted cutter before one more off the last.
Eoin Morgan’s obviously been talking to Nasser about the captain’s role
— Ed Overend (@edwardoverend) February 21, 2016
8th over: England 61-3 (Morgan 0, Buttler 0) Time for Imran Tahir’s leg-spin. This could swing momentum back in South Africa’s favour or he could get absolutely smashed here. First blood goes to Tahir as, just two balls after raising the 50 partnership from 30 balls, Root holes out. That’s a real shame as he was looking imperious out there. Then the very next ball, England cause me to swear.
Wicket! Hales run out 16
This is sheer idiocy. They run hard for an easy single, Morgan calls for a second that only a clown would think was on, changed his mind with Hales mid-pitch by which time Tahir had removed the bails.
Wicket! Root c Miller b Tahir 34
Huge wicket! Root comes down the track and lifts it high to Miller on the mid-off boundary! Root goes for 34 from 17.
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7th over: England 57-1 (Root 33, Hales 13) Rabada is held back for one, so David Wiese comes on with his more-useful-than-it-looks medium pace. He surprises Hales with a bit of extra bounce and the ball takes the outside edge, running away safely for a single. Wiese then strays on to Root’s pads – a bad idea – and he brings up England’s 50 with four runs whipped well through square leg. The batsman repeats the trick two balls later, going a long way back in his crease and clipping it off middle.
6th over: England 47-1 (Root 24, Hales 12) Chris Morris replaces Abbott. Hales clips him off his ankles for a single second ball then Root deflects one down to backward point for a couple more. Root looks in excellent touch and demonstrates as much by stepping down the track and lifting the bowler back over his head for a glorious straight six. That’s 23 from eight balls for him and he adds a single off the last, tucking it square. After a difficult start that’s a decent enough powerplay for England.
5th over: England 37-1 (Root 15, Hales 11) There’s a moment of excitement for the crowd as Hales picks one up off his pads and flicks it in the air out to midwicket, but it falls well short of the fielder and they get one. Root dabs the third ball down to third man for a single. Hales then picks one up off his legs and middles it, with perfect timing, to send it sailing over midwicket for a picture-perfect six. Rabada then gets a leg-cutter all wrong and sends it miles down leg for a wide, then a good diving stop by the man coming round from mid-on saves three runs from a straight drive. Six more off the last ball, a top-edged pull over backward square leg from Root. That’s more like it from England.
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4th over: England 21-1 (Root 8, Hales 3) Hales gets off a blob with a nudge into the leg side that beats the fielder and gets away for two. Another single then Root plays a quite brilliant pull shot, leaping and playing it miles above his head while off the ground, getting it over midwicket and away for four.
Roy was absolutely fuming after getting out, smashing his bat into the tunnel. It was a bad shot but a real beauty from Rabada, swinging back in and castling the batsman.
Rabada has well and truly had Roy's number there.
— Elizabeth Ammon (@legsidelizzy) February 21, 2016
Most bowlers do, it seems. Roy’s bat was all over the place against Rabada.
3rd over: England 14-1 (Root 4, Hales 0) Roy nudges the first ball of the over to mid on for a single to give Alex Hales the strike for the first time in the match. He gets a leg bye, then Roy walks across to a short one outside off and gets clunked on the grille of his helmet. He’s absolutely fine though... unlike his off-stump, which is ripped out the ground the very next ball. It’s another failure for Roy and James Vince must be wondering what he has to do to get a shot. Root guides his first ball nicely through backward point for the first boundary of the day.
“After the fiasco of the last match, I too had a straight whisky (the Balvenie this time),” writes John Starbuck, “but am prepared to give cocktails another go. However, I hall abandon the Gimlets as they don’t work and will return to my lost youth when I was experimenting with alcohol. I reckon a Dragon’s Blood (dark rum and barley wine) should do the trick.”
I had a big glass of cheap whisky myself last night. I feel absolutely fantastic in the office.
Wicket! Roy b Rabada 9
Roy comes charging down the wicket at a very quick full one. He has a mow and looks around to see his off-stump cartwheeling towards Pretoria.
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2nd over: England 8-0 (Roy 8, Hales 0) Kyle Abbott from the other end and Roy cuts him through a diving fielder at point for two – the timing wasn’t great so it didn’t reach the fence. Roy comes dancing down the track and has a wild swish at the next one but is beaten by both swing and bounce. After a couple of dots Roy lifts a wide length ball on the up over mid-off, where it plugs safely in the outfield for two more. There was a bit of rain around here the last couple of days. Another single off the final ball out to square leg but it’s a good start from South Africa.
1st over: England 3-0 (Roy 3, Hales 0) South Africa change things up from the last match: Kagiso Rabada has the first over. Roy cracks his first ball straight to cover and it’s dropped by Duminy! It went like a rocket but was straight into the hands and should have been taken. Roy is off the mark with two tucked behind square on the leg side. Rabada is getting some great carry here and his next ball clatters into the face of Roy’s bat as he tries to lift it out the way. There’s a couple of swishes and misses in the over too and a single off a thick edge to third man to finish. That’s a brilliant over.
Robin Hazelhurst writes: “In fairness, the three biggest hits of 1991 were Bryan Adams with that Robin Hood thing, Cher hopefully being ironic with the Shoop shoop song, and the one and only Chesney Hawkes. It doesn’t get better. Thanks 1991, the last summer before uni with that lot as the soundtrack.”
In the meantime, this made me chuckle.
The anthems are done now. Play begins in four minutes!
Back here in 2016, the players are out for the anthems.
“1991 was also the year of ‘Gett Off’ by Prince,” notes Tim Sanders, “well-known for its unusual double ‘t’, a noteworthy parallel with our own Jos Buttler.”
Prince sadly doesn’t allow his music on YouTube.
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Just look at the state of the T20 that took place on this ground last year.
What a year 1991 was though. In November alone you had both Achtung Baby and Loveless.
The teams in full
South Africa
HM Amla, AB de Villiers†, F du Plessis*, JP Duminy, RR Rossouw, DA Miller, D Wiese, CH Morris, KJ Abbott, K Rabada, Imran Tahir
England
JJ Roy, AD Hales, JE Root, EJG Morgan*, BA Stokes, JC Buttler†, SW Billings, MM Ali, CJ Jordan, AU Rashid, RJW Topley
An email from Chris Brock: “It’s also the birthday of Helen Marnie of Ladytron. Happy birthday, Helen!”
The toss
South Africa win and will bowl first. Faf du Plessis wants to put England under pressure from the off. South Africa are unchanged.
Eoin Morgan says he’s not too bothered about losing the toss. England make one change: Billings in for Willey after a disappointing batting effort from the team last time around.
Weather watch
Bright, warm and sunny in Johannesburg with very little chance of rain. This should be a good day for the batsmen, though that’s probably not what Reece Topley wants to hear after he suffered a difficult day last time around. Still, happy birthday to him – 22 today!
Speaking of birthdays, this came out 25 years ago yesterday. Twenty five years. I’ve still never met anyone who doesn’t love this song though.
England’s women beat their South African counterparts earlier. Here’s how my esteemed colleague Guardian Sport saw it.
Preamble
Morning, folks. So after two months or so of absorbing, intriguing, mostly captivating cricket this fine – from a wider cricketing perspective at least – tour of England’s to South Africa reaches its conclusion here on the Johannesburg Highveld.
To lose four matches in 10 days is not good. To lose two that they really, really should have won smacks of carelessness, but this young side need not panic even if they end up going down 2-0 in the T20 series. There have been plenty of encouraging signs: Alex Hales, for example, coming good after a difficult maiden Test series, or Chris Jordan stepping up with the ball in Cape Town last time around. More than a touch of naiveté has seen them fail to close out matches but, even if that will be a hindrance in India next month, it’s something that you would expect a team this young, talented and exciting to be able to iron out.
That said, they will be extremely determined to finish the tour on a high. With a World T20 on the horizon, this is far from a tired fag-end-of-the-tour hit and giggle. The likes of Jason Roy and Moeen Ali – three ducks in a row for him in T20s now – have to prove they deserve a place in the team while Eoin Morgan will want to show that he has the same steel as captain as his Test counterpart that can get him through some iffy form with the bat.
A sunset hit and giggle? Pah, far from it! We’re right in the middle of England’s apparent brave new dawn and here is a perfect opportunity to make us think it’s not a false one. Welcome then one, welcome all, to that rarest of things: a T20 final curtain that you should actually give a toss about.
Play begins at 12.30pm GMT, or 2.30pm local time. Toss and team news around half an hour before then.
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