It’s the hosts that take a 1-0 lead into Sunday’s second ODI, following South Africa’s 27-run win over England on Friday evening.
The series has big implications for the Proteas, who face the prospect of having to qualify for the 50-over World Cup if they don’t beat England over the three matches.
Jos Buttler’s men though will be determined to level the series after falling short in the opening match, with the skipper admitting they let the game slip through their hands.
What | South Africa v England, 2nd ODI |
Where | Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein |
When | 08:00, Sunday 29th January |
How to watch | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Cricket |
Odds | South Africa 11/10, England 8/11 |
Chasing 299 to win, England looked to be cruising to victory at 151-1 in the 21st over, with Jason Roy rediscovering his touch with the bat.
The opener went on to smash 113 off 91 balls, but when the Surrey ace was eventually caught on the boundary off the bowling of Kagiso Rabada, the tourists’ innings started to fall apart.
England were 196-4 in the 30th over when Roy was dismissed, before losing their last six wickets for just 75 runs as they were eventually all out for 271.
Dawid Malan (59) and captain Buttler (36) were the only other players to score 20+ runs as Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala ripped through the batting line up.
Buttler, who is a 4/1 Bet Boost with bet365 to be England’s Top Batter on Sunday, admitted his frustration at the end.
The skipper said: “I think we played some excellent cricket for the majority of that game. To be in the position we were after that opening stand, we should go on and win that game so we're disappointed not to finish it off.
“We should keep going after the good start with the bat, have conviction and commitment to our game.”
England are a white-ball team that usually bounce back after a disappointing defeat and expect a response from them on Sunday, especially as the second ODI is on the same ground.
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Most of the focus ahead of the opening game of the series was centred around the return to international action for Jofra Archer.
The fast bowler, part of the World Cup winning team in 2019, hadn’t played for England since March 2021 due to elbow and back problems.
Much, perhaps too much, was expected on his return to top-level action with Archer admitting before the game that he was ‘about 80%’ of his previous form.
Rustiness showed as Archer conceded 81 runs in his 10 overs, at an economy rate of 8.10 – finishing the South Africa innings as England’s most expensive bowler.
The 27-year-old, who took just the one wicket, is expected to start again on Sunday as England look to get his match fitness back up to speed, with a big year of cricket ahead.
Archer is 7/2 to be England’s top bowler in the second ODI, while the paceman can be backed at 14/1 to be named Player of the Match.
Rassie Van der Dussen was the star of the show with the bat for South Africa, making his fourth ODI century and his second in his last four 50-over internationals.
His 111, made off 117 balls, on Friday was the 33-year-old’s second ton against England and was key to the Proteas taking a 1-0 series lead.
Van der Dussen’s knock has seen him move up to second in the ODI batting rankings and the Proteas number three is 10/3 to be South Africa’s top batter again in match two.
Captain Temba Bavuma was full of praise for seamer Magala, who he felt gave the Proteas ‘momentum’ during the England innings.
The 32-year-old got rid of two of England’s top four batters, including the scalp of 50-over debutant Harry Brook for a duck, ending with figures of 4-62 in his nine overs.
Magala made it difficult for England’s batting line-up to cut loose in the middle overs and is 15/4 to be South Africa’s top bowler in the second ODI.
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