Key events
14th over: England 69-2 (Root 42, Bethell 1) Duckett probably just needs a breather after a busy period: five Tests against India, the Hundred, this. Bosch remains relentless from the Nursery End, conceding two off the over.
13th over: England 66-2 (Root 41, Bethell 0) This is a suprise. It’s not Harry Brook but Jacob Bethell who strolls out at No 4, probably to stop Maharaj settling in against the right-handers.
WICKET! Duckett b Maharaj 14 (England 66-2)
Maharaj appeals for leg-before against Root … but the ball is drifting down leg. The left-armer gets the other man, though: Duckett’s painful knock is over, the left-hander bowled after missing with the reverse-sweep.
12th over: England 63-1 (Root 38, Duckett 14) Bosch is properly hammering it down outside off. Root drives him down the ground but the seamer gets down quick to pick up and launch a throw at the stumps. After three overs, Bosch has conceded just two.
11th over: England 62-1 (Root 37, Duckett 14) Here’s the dangerous Keshav Maharaj, who took four wickets in the first ODI. Duckett’s first run off the tweaker is a knock to mid-on, while Root reverse-sweeps to steal three. Duckett copies that stroke to claim a single.
10th over: England 56-1 (Root 33, Duckett 12) Duckett is stuck at the moment. He gets the ramp out but only succeeds in hitting himself with the ball. The left-hander hasn’t been in great nick over the last few weeks, having averaged 17.57 in the Hundred. Nonetheless, that’s still a decent powerplay for England, with Root doing plenty at the other end.
9th over: England 55-1 (Root 33, Duckett 11) Ngidi is back with a switch of ends. Duckett continues to search for some timing, with a clip through midwicket bringing two.
8th over: England 50-1 (Root 32, Duckett 8) Corbin Bosch brings an end to Ngidi’s opening spell. Duckett remains stranded on eight, unable to nail his cut shot when Bosch drops it a touch wide.
7th over: England 49-1 (Root 32, Duckett 8) Root is finding it hard to middle the pull shot, but a miscue still brings him two. He’s nailing it when the ball goes full, though – a cover drive off Burger is followed by a push through point for another four. And then a third successive boundary: the cut shot delivers.
6th over: England 34-1 (Root 17, Duckett 8) It feels slightly surreal that Root was batting at Lord’s just four days ago in the Hundred final – it really is a ridiculous calendar. Duckett is slowly getting himself in, tucking Ngidi behind square leg for four.
5th over: England 28-1 (Root 16, Duckett 4) Burger brings some quiet after the noise of the previous over, conceding a single off Duckett.
4th over: England 27-1 (Root 16, Duckett 3) That’s classic Root, with England’s No 3 punching Ngidi off the back foot through point for four, a piece of glorious timing. Root chases a cover drive later in the over, with a thick edge flying to the third-man rope. He does lace the cover drive with the next ball, a half volley sent where it belongs.
3rd over: England 15-1 (Root 4, Duckett 3) Burger loses his radar, sending the ball down the leg-side, all the way to the boundary. He quickly rediscovers the channel outside off-stump and threatens Duckett’s edge. He’s got a lovely, whippy action … and is that another one caught behind? It’s down the leg side but South Africa think Duckett has got a tickle. They go for a review … and umps called it right. Not out. Duckett clips away the final delivery for a couple.
2nd over: England 7-1 (Root 4, Duckett 1) Lungi Ngidi takes the ball from the Nursery End. I wonder if he’s thinking about his WTC second-innings display on this ground in June – three crucial wickets to rip apart the Australian middle order. Back to reality: Ngidi drops short and Root is away with a pull to the ropes.
1st over: England 1-1 (Root 0, Duckett 0) Burger is moving it both ways, with Root kept quiet. Settle in, Joe, you’ve got a proper job on your hands.
It’s a corker from Burger, the left-arm quick going full and nipping it into Smith to catch the inside-edge, with Rickelton cleaning up behind the stumps. It was an awkward push from Smith first up, a nightmare start to a hefty chase.
WICKET! Smith c Rickelton b Burger 0 (England 0-1)
And we’re off. With Jamie Smith gone first ball!
John Starbuck writes in:
Whom would you pick as England’s fifth ODI bowler who could bat well enough to be a 6 or 7? They really do have to make positive changes, don’t they?
I’d have Sam Curran. He offers a fourth seam option but I wouldn’t necessarily see him needing to bowl 10 overs every game. He’s a proper batter who could do a serious job at six, used in a similar way to Ben Stokes during the 2015-2019 glory days.
Taha Hashim
Afternoon, lovely people. England need to pull off a serious chase to avoid their fifth ODI series defeat in six since the last 50-over World Cup. That doesn’t include their dreadful time at the Champions Trophy. A few years ago this target wouldn’t have looked all that imposing – England’s recent form makes it feel way out of reach. All I want is a proper, edgy contest, unlike that dreadful series opener at Headingley. Here’s to a final-ball thriller under lights.
South Africa post 330-8
That is how you pace a 50 over innings. After a great start South Africa stumbled with Rashid and Archer taking back control with three quick wickets. But then a century stand between Breetzke (85) and Stubbs (58) provided the stability for Brevis to clatter 42 from 20 and Bosch end unbeaten with 32 from 29.
England’s part-timers – acting as their fifth bowler – went for a combined 112 from their 10 overs. And though Bethell bagged the bonus wicket of Brevis, him and Jacks were pounded by the Saffas.
Can England match haul them in? Taha will be with you through to the close.
WICKET! Maharaj b Archer 1 (South Africa 330-8)
Kesh goes for a scoop and gets castled! It was the last ball of the innings. Worth a go. Still, scooping one of the fastest bowlers in the world takes doing and Maharaj wasn’t up to it.
WICKET! Muthusamy lbw Archer 7 (South Africa 326-7)
Full, straight, out! Archer is too good for Muthusamy with this searing yorker that looks as out as out can be. The finger goes up immediately and the batter doesn’t bother with a review. Suggestions it could have hit him outside the line but that felt stone dead.
49th over: South Africa 326-6 (Bosch 29, Muthusamy 7) Both batters are searching for reverse scoops off Mahmood. Muthusamy can only get a single to short third but Bosch lifts it over Buttler and gets four off the penultimate ball. A wide and another single off Mahmood’s final over means he closes his account with 1-53 from his 10. A hopeful lbw review off the last over from a full bunger is unsuccessful.
48th over: South Africa 319-6 (Bosch 24, Mutusamy 6) Sharp running from Muthusamy towards the danger end means Bosch collects consecutive twos through midwicket at the start of Jacks’ over. Bosch then gets four when he beats long on with a chip down the ground. A single keeps him on strike. Quality batting by the bowling all-rounder.
47th over: South Africa 310-6 (Bosch 15, Muthusamy 6) Mahmood’s ninth over goes for seven. Four of those runs are boshed by Bosch through extra cover. The ball before he tried an audacious revers pull off the back foot to a slower ball but couldn’t grab hold of it. Scampered running keeps things ticking.
46th over: South Africa 303-6 (Bosch 9, Muthusamy 5) The wicket of Brevis has shaved off a chunk off the total, but after being put into bat on a ground where chasing is difficult, South Africa will be delighted to have passed 300. Muthusamy collects four with a reverse sweep and trades singles with Bosch. Everything from here is just icing on the cake though they’ll want to heap it high.
WICKET! Brevis c Rashid b Bethell 42 (South Africa 297-6)
What a bonus! Well then, Bethell has bagged a massive wicket! It’s a drag down angling into Brevis who makes room to lift it over cover. He throws everything at it but doesn’t time it, spooning it towards backward point where Rashid takes a comfortable tumbling dive. That wicket might be worth 50 more runs the way Brevis was going.
45th over: South Africa 295-5 (Brevis 40, Bosch 8) Rashid signs off with 2-33 from his 10. He played his part with some lovely bowling that bagged two big wickets early doors. Brevis shapes to clobber him but sees reason and recognises that the part-timers still have two overs between them. Just four singles off this over. Well bowled Rash.
44th over: South Africa 291-5 (Brevis 38, Bosch 6) Brevis is hitting sixes at will. Carse was tidy until his last ball, conceding just seven runs, all run. But the final ball is a half-tracker with pace off and Brevis can pick his spot in the stands. He leans back and hoiks a pull that comfortably clears the man in the deep. He’s 38 from 16 with three sixes and three fours.
43rd over: South Africa 278-5 (Brevis 29, Bosch 2) Brevis has smashed the final two balls of this Bethell over for back to back sixes. The first was hammered straight and hard, causing the members to duck for cover. The next was a superb slog sweep that landed on top of the scorer’s box. That must have travelled 100m in the air. What timing! He’s some player. They don’t call him Baby AB for nothing.
Andrew Pechey has written in wondering about my use of ‘set’ for an over.
He’s not complaining, but he’s not the first to pull me up on it. I’m no Hundred devotee, I just like the variety.
Any thoughts?
42nd over: South Africa 263-5 (Brevis 16, Bosch 0) That is a big wicket for England as they’re into the bowlers. All on Brevis who must bat the remaining overs. He closes the Archer over by lifting an uppercut for four down to deep third. Such a needless run-out. No wonder Stubbs was livid. He was playing so well.
WICKET! Stubbs run-out Jacks/Archer 58 (South Africa 259-4)
Calamity in the middle! Stubbs is furious! It was his call as Brevis had steered the ball behind sqaure to backward point. Jacks collected and threw towards Archer who dropped it. But Stubbs was a long way down so Archer had enough time to pick it up, run towards the wicket and knock off the bails with a dive. Stubbs couldn’t make his ground with a dive of his own and thwacks his bat on the ground as he gets up before marching towards the pavilion .
41st over: South Africa 256-4 (Stubbs 57, Brevis 11) Dewald Brevis has walked to the crease and almost hit his first ball for six. His slow sweep off Bethell is just a metre short of the rope at cow corner. His next ball is a genuine edge but races away fine for four. Bethell then sprays three consecutive wides to go with the four runs that are run between the batters. That all addds up to 17. England’s part-timers have been taken apart. Bethell is going at 12.6. Jacks at 10.5. Could that be the difference?
WICKET! Breetzke lbw Archer 85 (South Africa 240-4)
Archer gets the breakthrough! Oh how England needed that. Jof returns to the scene and, after conceding eight runs in the set, angles in a yorker with the final ball that beats Breetzke with pace off. He’s bang in front but it’s worth a review. Three reds, though, and he has to depart after a wonderful knock.
40th over: South Africa 240-4 (Stubbs 55, Brevis 0)
39th over: South Africa 232-3 (Breetzke 83, Stubbs 50) Carnage. Breetzke smokes a flat one down the ground for four, almost taking Stubbs’ head off. He then climbs into Carse, pulling him for a monster six in front of square. A clipped two and single brings Stubbs on strike who reachea 50 with a single of his own. Breetzke completes the set with a steer past a diving short third man for four. 19 off that one. The Saffas are motoring.
38th over: South Africa 213-3 (Breetzke 66, Stubbs 49) Another Rashid over is safely navigated. He’s got just one left. This one is only worth three singles but that’ll do as far as the Saffas are concerned.
37th over: South Africa 210-3 (Breetkze 64, Stubbs 48) Stubbs will not let Jacks settle. He nails a sweep for four then heaves a mighty six over cow corner. A reverse sweep gets him another four before a single brings Breetkze on strike. One more single and a wide add up to 17 from the set. South Africa are on the charge and eying up something meaty.
36th over: South Africa 193-3 (Breetzke 63, Stubbs 33) A dabbed single down to deep third from Stubbs brings up the 100 run partnership. Excellent graft from these two who have given the English a lesson on how to build through the gears after a collapse. Just three from this over which included a clipped two through midwicket from Stubbs. Sharp fielding from Bethell at cover and Duckett at midwicket helped Carse keep get through his set without too much damage.
35th over: South Africa 189-3 (Breetzke 63, Stubbs 30) Brook chucks the ball to Rashid in the hope of putting the skids on this partnership. But now the batters are set and they’re far more comfortable against Rashid. Three singles and a two for Breetzke who whips it off his pads past a diving midwicket. That was uppish, but was hit firm enough to beat the fielder.
34th over: South Africa 185-3 (Breetzke 60, Stubbs 27) Breetzke is purring now. A gorgeous lofted drive with barely any follow through easily clears the rope over Jacks’ head. It’s an expensive over from the part-timer, worth 15 as it includes three wides down the leg side and runs off every other ball.
33rd over: South Africa 170-3 (Breetzke 50, Stubbs 26) Breetzke reaches 50 and makes history. He becomes the first player EVER to pass 50 in all five of his first five ODI matches. There are seven runs – all run – off this Mahmood over. South Africa, after a wobble, are cruising now thanks to a fourth wicket stand of 78.
32nd over: South Africa 163-3 (Breetzke 47, Stubbs 22) Jacks continues and does well, keeping things tight, bowling to his field. I do wonder though if Brook could be a little more defensive/a little less attacking. He’s still got catchers either side of the wicket which means there are gaps for singles. South Africa’s set batters trade four of them before Stubbs stoops low and slog sweeps towards cow corner. He doesn’t catch all of it so has to settle for two as long on runs round to cut it off.
Time for a drinks break. These two have done well in a rebuilding stand of 70 from 78 balls.
31st over: South Africa 157-3 (Breetzke 45, Stubbs 18) Stubbs is almost out hit wicket! It’s a bizarre sequence of events as he presses forward to Mahmood and tries to drive down the ground. He bat flies up in the air and almost loops back onto his stumps behind him. He panics and dives backwards, doing his best to divert his spiralling blade. That would have been one of the weirdest dismissals of all time. The next ball Stubbs gets off strike and then Breetzke steers one very fine, just past Buttler for four. Was that an edge? Mahmood certainly thought so. A leg bye and a single for Stubbs brings an eventful over to a close.
30th over: South Africa 150-3 (Breetzke 41, Stubbs 16) The lights are switched on as Will Jacks enters the attack for the first time. He’s not just darting his spinners in but getting his fingers over the ball, trying to give it a rip. Four singles, all into the off-side, is a decent return for Jacks. Brook needs his supporting cast to keep things tidy.
Do we double it from 30? South Africa would more than happily take 300.
29th over: South Africa 146-3 (Breetkze 39, Stubbs 14) Mahmood returns from the Pavilion End as dark clouds gather overhead. The ground staff are getting busy below mme which suggests they think rain is on the way. South Africa tick along in the meantime with Breetzke forcing a four off the back foot behind square. Three singles elsewhere and a leg-bye off the final ball add up to eight off the set.
28th over: South Africa 138-3 (Breetzke 34, Stubbs 12) They’re showing Rashid the respect he deserves. Just four singles from that over. Rashid only has three more. If South Africa can navigate them safely without losing any wickets they won’t mind how many runs they take from them. Brook needs eight overs from part-timers. The Saffas can cash in then.
27th over: South Africa 134-3 (Breetzke 32, Stubbs 10) Breetzke might be struggling against Rashid but he’s having no trouble against Bethell. A full ball is spanked behind square on the leg side for four before a lofted drive clears the rope at deep extra cover. Breetzke then takes a well scampered two past point and keeps the strike with a bunt down the ground. Two different games taking place from either end.
26th over: South Africa 120-3 (Breetzke 19, Stubbs 9) Brilliant from Rashid. He’s bowled a maiden that could have removed Breetzke twice. First with the overturned decision for caiught behind, then with a googly that beat the drive and almost took the off stump. He’s got 2-17 from six overs. South Africa are struggling at the minute.
Breetzke survives a review!
It’s a peach from Rashid who has changed ends. A delicious leggie that jags past Breetzke’s bat. There’s a noise which is why he’s given out, but the replays showed he clipped his pad with his bat. The merest of daylight between bat and ball is what saved him.
25th over: South Africa 120-3 (Breetzke 19, Stubbs 9) Brook must be reading the OBO as here comes Bethell’s part-time finger spin. He’s darting them in and keeps the batters to a single apiece off his first four balls before Breetzke swishes across the line and squirts an ugly sweep past the man at 45 for four. A single off the final ball means it’s a decent haul from the Saffas. A reminder that they don’t bat that deep today with Muthusamy coming in at 7.
24th over: South Africa 113-3 (Breetzke 13, Stubbs 8) Brook is playing an intersting game here. Not only is he keeping close catchers around the bat, he’s also holding off from bowling his part-timers. This Carse over goes for three singles and a leg-side wide. I’d bring in the fifth bowler now how he has control. Not sure he’ll want to chuck them the ball if both these batters get going.
23rd over: South Africa 109-3 (Breetkze 11, Stubbs 7) Brook has an attacking field for Rashind. For both batters there’s a short extra cover as well as a short midwicket. For Breetzke he has a leg slip but for Stubbs there’s an extra man catching on the off side. So thre close fielders. That means there are gaps in the ring and the Saffas pick up for singles across the over.
22nd over: South Africa 105-3 (Breetzke 9, Stubbs 5) Carse is hammering a shortish length, asking Breetzke to force the issue. He can’t beat point from the first two balls but climbs into the third, swatting it well in front of square for four. That was almost like a double forehand in tennis. He then picks up a single with a dab into the covers, bringing out a knowing applause from the crowd. Stubbs is squared up but gets enough on the edge to collect two behind point. He’ll keep the strike with a bunted single towards mid-off.
21st over: South Africa 97-3 (Breetzke 4, Stubbs 2) South Africa’s usually fluent batters are consolidating. Not that they can let loose against the miserly Rashid. Two runs off that over. The last five have been worth a mere 14.
20th over: South Africa 95-3 (Breetzke 3, Stubbs 1) Carse is back and he’s looking handy. One is pushed a little fuller and beats the forward press of Stubbs. The new man could do with a score and he’s underway with a bunt to the right of mid-on. Earlier in the set Breetzke picked up a single of his own. Just two from it. South Afrifa were 73-0 after 13 overs. They’ve added 22 and lost three wickets since.
WICKET! Markram c&b Rashid 49 (South Africa 93-3)
Another gimme! Markram will be sick with himself. After spanking a four down the ground, and then surviving a stumping chance from a googly, South Africa’s opener has spooned a simple catch back to Rashid. Beaten in the air I think, he wasn’t at the pitch of it and so pulled out of the shot. The ball ballooned off his bat and Aiden has to go one short of his half century. England have done superbly to fight their way back into this.
19th over: South Africa 93-3 (Breetzke 2, Stubbs 0)
18th over: South Africa 87-2 (Markram 44, Breetzke 1) Breetzke is off the mark with a tip and run into the off side off Archer. Markram clips a single of his own down to deep sqaure and swats another finer. Both shots were uppish, but in gaps. Archer is finding lift off the surface, forcing Breetzke to duck under a bouncer to see out the over. The last five overs belong to England as they’ve conceded just 14 runs while picking up two wickets. Plenty of time, though, to rebuild for the Saffas.
17th over: South Africa 84-2 (Markram 42, Breetzke 0) Tidy again from Rashid. Just a single to Markram off that set. England are definitely finding a bit of control in these middle overs.
A correction from the previous set. Breetzke didn’t scamper a single. He’s yet to get off the mark off seven deliveries.
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