There are two teams applying two different approaches to their Champions Trophy preparation in this series. Time will tell which one proves more useful as the tournament unfolds, but for the moment it is England who have yielded the short-term gains that they sought out. Only just, mind you.
The hosts have opted to field a first-choice side in the opening two games of the three-match series and now have an unassailable lead after a thrilling two-run victory at the Rose Bowl on Saturday (May 27). The confidence gained from beating the top-ranked side in the world should prove valuable when their Champions Trophy campaign gets underway.
South Africa have taken a longer-term view. When their squad was announced last month, their selection convenor promised that all 15 players would get a game in the England series so that all combinations could be tested. After making three changes to the team that lost the series opener at Headingley, they are on track to fulfill that promise. It may have compromised their chances against a formidable England side on Saturday, but if it allows more of their players to contribute in the Champions Trophy then it might have been worthwhile.
That said, no amount of planning will save South Africa if they continue to field as poorly as they have in this series. The second ODI saw them put down six catches, with Ben Stokes dropped twice in his first two balls. From that moment it seemed inevitable that Stokes would make a damaging and entertaining hundred, and his 101 from 79 balls proved the difference between the two sides.
It allowed England to post 330 for six after they had been asked to bat by AB de Villiers. In their last 10 ODIs where they have batted first, they have passed 300 on all but one occasion, when they fell four runs short of the mark. The depth of firepower in their line-up has been illustrated in this series, with Jos Buttler (65 not out) providing the main support to Stokes in this innings.
South Africa will take satisfaction from how close they came to overcoming that firepower. With Quinton de Kock leading their reply with 98 – an unusual occurrence of him reaching fifty but falling short of three figures – and David Miller at the helm of a late charge, they finished on 328 for five. De Villiers showed some encouraging form in the middle of the innings, making 52, while England were hampered by Stokes’ inability to bowl more than three overs as the injury he experienced in Leeds resurfaced.
South Africa should really have prevailed after a blistering assault from Miller and Chris Morris reduced the equation to seven runs required from the final over. But Mark Wood produced an astounding final over that was full of guile and precision, limiting the pair to just four singles. Such skill had been missing from South Africa’s death bowling when England plundered 67 runs from the final five overs as the Proteas seamers – Andile Phehlukwayo in particular – missed their lengths.
Another glorious batting pitch ensured that it was always going to be hard work for the bowlers, but South Africa could at least feel pleased with Kagiso Rabada’s form. The leader of the attack looked to be regaining his rhythm as he claimed the wickets of Jason Roy and Eoin Morgan (45) whilst conceding just 50 in his 10 overs. The rest of the attack suffered at the hands of Stokes, although Keshav Maharaj deserved some pity on debut after seeing Hashim Amla at slip and then de Kock behind the stumps put down the England all-rounder.
After Joe Root’s promising innings was cut short on 39 when he was run out whilst backing up at the non-striker’s end, Stokes added 95 for the fourth wicket with Morgan to put England in control of the match, and a further 77 with Buttler. The latter had 25 from 32 balls when Stokes was caught at long-off from the bowling of Maharaj, but went on to score 40 from his next 21 balls as England finished strongly.
South Africa did not appear rattled by the size of their task. Although Amla and Faf du Plessis wasted starts, de Kock and de Villiers put on 96 for the third wicket before the captain was undone by a sharp short ball from Liam Plunkett, who took three of England’s five wickets.
The rest of the match swung thrillingly from one side to the other – Moeen Ali put England on top when de Kock feathered one through to Buttler, only for Miller’s unbeaten 71 from 51 balls to take South Africa to the brink. After butchering two sixes, Morris (36 not out) also had the opportunity to be the hero as the game went down to the final ball with four runs needed. In the end, Wood was too canny for him, and England left with the confidence boost and series win – they craved.
Brief Scores
England 330/6 in 50 overs (Ben Stokes 101, Jos Buttler 65*; Kagiso Rabada 2-50) beat
South Africa 328/5 in 50 overs (Quinton de Kock 98, David Miller 71*; Liam Plunkett 3-64) by 2 runs
