England scored their highest overseas ODI total of 399-9 on Wednesday to win by 39 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method when a thunderstorm ended the game with the hosts on 250-5 after 33.3 overs.
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South Africa won the toss and made a decision to bat in the second one-day worldwide against England at St George’s Park on Saturday.
Jos Buttler was the hero of their innings with an excellent knock of 105 off 76 balls but was ably supported by the likes of Alex Hales and Ben Stokes (both 57), Joe Root (52) and Jason Roy (48).
South Africa’s reply came at a good pace, but only Faf du Plessis (55) offered De Kock any support as the pair shared a 110-run stand for the second wicket.
Kyle Abbott looks set to boost their options after returning from a thigh injury, while Kagiso Rabada could also feature after being rested for the opener following his impressive performances in the Test series. The 23-year-old scored 138 runs off 96 balls becoming the youngest South African batsman to reach 2000 one-day global runs in the process. The emphasis could be more on the respective seam attacks and neither particularly impressed in on the flat deck at the Mangaung Oval with Marchant de Lange and Chris Jordan having particularly troubled nights. I feel a lot better in the nets. It’s important to try and do that from the beginning and not wake up 10 or 15 overs into the game.
“I’m sure they will have fancied winning the game the way that Quinton was playing – and there will be a really good contest on Saturday, which will have my whole attention”.
To ensure Tahir can concentrate on controlling the middle overs, du Plessis explained that South Africa’s seamers need to start better, especially in Port Elizabeth where the slower surface nearly guarantees Tahir will be a factor.
His partnership with De Kock was going to decide his team’s fate, and ultimately De Villiers continued his mini-slump as he followed up his three ducks in his last three Test innings by holding out to Ben Stokes on the long-on boundary off Moeen Ali to be out eight.
“I used my feet a little too well and got too close to the pitch (of the ball), and I couldn’t get enough elevation on it. Great catch, and I thought he did well to keep it in – if he did!”
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“Let’s hope our guys get picked up for a lot of money, and the English guys don’t – so we can get a bit of confidence from that”.
