By Patrick Compton.
England’s explosive middle-order, led by Harry Brook (80), Jos Buttler (94*), Moeen Ali (51) and Sam Curran (28), enabled the tourists to flourish after a stumbling start to reach a formidable 342 for seven in the second Betway ODI against South Africa at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
South Africa’s captain, Temba Bavuma, won the toss and decided to insert England on what was initially a tacky pitch that offered the home team’s pacemen movement in the air and off the pitch, particularly during the first powerplay when England’s batsmen struggled for survival.
England only managed 42 for two wickets in the first 10 overs with Lungi Ngidi and Wayne Parnell exploiting the conditions with largely full deliveries, the ball seaming and swinging and sometimes bouncing off a length.
England’s century-maker on Friday, Jason Roy, was bowled neck and crop through the gate by a superb Ngidi delivery while Dawid Malan was trapped plumb leg before by Parnell. Ben Duckett looked vulnerable initially, but just when he had begun to settle down, he tried to – perhaps recklessly – loft his first ball from Keshav Maharaj only to hole out tamely to long-on.
This brought Harry Brook and his captain, Jos Buttler, together with the sun beginning to bake the pitch and flatten it out, making batting easier. Brook, who made a duck in his ODI debut on Friday, almost immediately took charge, playing a succession of fine shorts all around the wicket. He was particularly harsh on (barely) short-pitched deliveries, pulling sixes through the midwicket area.
It’s rare that a batsman outshines Buttler, but the England captain was happy to watch Brook dominate their fourth-wicket stand of 73 in 65 balls before Brook mistimed a lofted off-drive that skewed off his bat to deep point. His 80 in 75 balls included seven fours and four sixes as he announced his presence on the world ODI stage.
This partnership set the foundations for the most damaging liaison between Buttler and Moeen Ali with the latter leading the way in a splurge of runs against a tiring Proteas’ attack that realised 101 in 85 balls. Ali timed the ball beautifully to strike 51 in 45, including six fours and a six before he played on to Nortje.
Buttler, who had reached his 23rd ODI half-century in 35th over, was then deprived of the strike as Sam Curran blazed away at the other end, the pair blitzing 54 off 34 balls for the seventh wicket.
The captain, who enjoyed a late burst of scoring, and Curran enabled England to add 60 runs off the last four overs (181 came off the last 20) with Ngidi conceding 38 off his last two overs. Buttler finished unbeaten on 94 in 82 balls (8x4s, 3x6s) as he took his team to a total that will certainly test South Africa’s batsmen.
Aside from leaking runs, the South Africans had to worry about the loss of their wicketkeeper, Quinton de Kock, with a thumb injury midway through the England innings. It was later announced, however, that there was no break, and that he would be fit to bat. Wayne Parnell suffered a foot injury after being hit by a Buttler thunderbolt, but he was able to complete his overs.
SOUTH AFRICA: Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (capt), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Marco Jansen, Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi
ENGLAND: Jason Roy, Dawid Malan, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (capt & wk), Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Olly Stone, Reece Topley.