England roar back will massive win over South Africa in second ODI; level series

England bounced back from a big loss in the first One-day International against South Africa at Chester-le-Street on July 19 with a massive 118-run win at Old Trafford to level the three-match series at 1-1.

Despite losing Jason Roy to South African pacer Anrich Nortje early in the game, England got off to a promising start on Friday evening with the game reduced to 29 overs per side. Phil Salt and Jonny Bairstow pushed the scoring rate up to 17 off nine deliveries with the former scoring three boundaries in a Lungi Ngidi over.

England were 49/1 after six overs when Dwaine Pretorius swung things in South Africa’s favour by varying his pace and length. Pretorius trapped Salt in front before dismissing the dangerous Joe Root and Bairstow in his next over.

At 62/4, England were in big trouble, and Pretorius, who had been involved in every dismissal up to that point, was fired up. He eventually finished with 4/36, his career-best ODI figures. Keshav Maharaj compounded England’s woes by dismissing Moeen Ali shortly after, and Jos Buttler couldn’t do much either as England ambled along at run-a-ball to 101/6.

England got back on track with a late flourish in the rain-shortened game, aided by Liam Livingstone’s pyrotechnics. He found company in Sam Curran as the host regained momentum in the next few overs, with Curran smashing sixes off Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi.

After hitting Nortje for three consecutive sixes and a four, Livingstone chipped the pull shot to mid-wicket and was caught off the next ball in the same over. Livingstone’s 26-ball 38 was complemented by Curran’s entertaining 35-ball 18-ball knock off Shamsi in the 24th over before being dismissed by the same bowler. Adil Rashid and David Willey both found some runs.

England’s left-handed batsmen Reece Topley and David Willey put the hosts ahead early on, with the former dismissing Janneman Malan and Rassie van der Dussen in the same over. While Malan struggled with his timing from the start and chipped a simple catch to mid-on, van der Dussen was unfortunate to nick one down the leg side through to the wicket-keeper.

South Africa’s fortunes took a turn for the worse when Quinton de Kock was out on the first ball of the next over, a leading edge off David Willey landing in the hands of the cover point fielder. After a disastrous start, Aiden Markram attempted a risky single only to be run out by a brilliant pick up and throw from wicketkeeper Jos Buttler. South Africa was in dire straits at 6/4 and needed to rebuild their innings.

David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen attempted to lift the visitors, but Sam Curran ended their promising partnership. David Miller was bowled by the left-arm quick with a sharp cutter that seamed back in to castle the stumps. South Africa were 39/5 at the 10-over mark, and the result appeared all but certain when England was caught off guard by a light drizzle.

It didn’t last for long, though, and Klaasen and Pretorius soon tried to stitch together a partnership for South Africa. But that didn’t last long either as Moeen had Klaasen stumped and Adil Rashid cleaned up Keshav Maharaj next over. Rashid went on to dismiss Dwaine Pretorius next over as South Africa were reduced to 76/8 which soon turned into 83 all out and a massive loss.

(Inputs from IANS)