Defeat puts Proteas on World Cup knife edge

Now it better not rain when the Netherlands arrive here for two ODIs at the end of March. Also, New Zealand need to do the Proteas a favour against Sri Lanka next month. 

SA will not want to be shy on over rates either in those matches lest they be docked Super League points. That’s what Wednesday night’s 59-run defeat to England in Kimberley meant; their fate, as far as automatic qualification for this year’s World Cup is concerned, is no longer entirely in their own hands. 

They were always walking that fine line in this series against the world champions. It is why skipper Temba Bavuma and coach, Shukri Conrad, have sought to take the players’ attention off the automatic qualification topic and the prospect of playing the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe and rather just focus on how they were playing and why they were playing in the way they were.

They have provided glimpses of a new attacking style, but in trying to change their mindsets they will also make mistakes. They must have the courage of their convictions — as England did in the years prior to the 2019 World Cup — to continue to build on what they have shown in this series.

England showed plenty of that resolve in Kimberley after slumping to 14/3 in the sixth over. At that stage a total around 250 looked satisfactory — instead England scored nearly 100 runs more than that.

Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan absorbed the assault from the SA bowlers, displaying Test match methodology, and when Bavuma eventually called upon his spinners, the English pair pounced. 

After scoring just two boundaries in the first 15 overs, Buttler thumped the fourth ball delivered by Aiden Markram over long off for six. In Markram’s next over, Buttler hammered another straight four and Malan followed suit a few balls later reverse sweeping the part-time off-spinner for another boundary. 

Buttler provided the greater attacking thrust for the next 10 overs, but when Malan launched Wayne Parnell over the square leg boundary for six, to bring up his 50, he too got in on the fun. 

SA’s bowling — missing Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortjé on Wednesday as part of the continued rotation policy — became inconsistent and if there is an area that requires improvement it is the number of extras they conceded. There were 18 in total, including nine wides and three no balls, which following on from the 34 they bowled in the second ODI on Sunday, illustrates a problem. 

Malan was dropped twice — both extremely difficult chance — but opportunities the Proteas will look back on with regret.

Buttler and Malan both notched up deserved centuries, as part of a partnership of 232 for the fourth wicket and the precision and creativity of their stroke play was more in keeping with England’s broader attacking style. The acceleration was rapid — they scored 217 runs in the last 20 overs.

Lungi Ngidi after picking up 3/15 in his first six overs, was again blasted around at the death conceding 47 runs in his last four overs. Sisanda Magala had a day to forget, as he struggled with his line, while Tabraiz Shamsi’s future in the 50-over team might be in jeopardy following another largely anonymous performance.

SA started the run chase with purpose with Bavuma again showing his confidence with a punchy 35 off just 27 balls. 

However, where England had Buttler and Malan batting the bulk of the innings, none of SA’s top four batters could do something similar. Reeza Hendricks made 52 and Aiden Markram 39 but that was insufficient. 

SA were ahead of the required rate, and managed to stay there until Jofra Archer’s match-winning spell, induced an error out of Markram, then a beautiful in-ducker removed David Miller for 13 and following a dangerous seventh wicket partnership with 85 he claimed the wickets of both Heinrch Klaasen, who made 80 and Parnell, to pick up a maiden ODI five-wicket haul. He added Tabraiz Shamsi to finish with figures of 6/40.