| 0.2 : 0.2: I Tahir to J Bairstow, OUT! EDGED AND TAKEN! What a master move this has turned out to be by Faf du Plessis. He gave the new ball exactly for this reason to Tahir and what a wicket this is! The opening stand for England has been so devastating and today, it has been broken in the very first over itself. Tahir is pumped up. He gives this air and lands it on off, Bairstow strides forward to defend but the ball turns away just a little. Enough to take the outside edge and it settles into the h |
| 1.5 : 1.5: L Ngidi to Joe Root, FOUR! Beautiful! Off the mark in some style! First boundary of the World Cup. Full and outside off, Root leans into the stroke and caresses it through the covers for a boundary. |
| 3.4 : 3.4: L Ngidi to Joe Root, FOUR! Off the meat. Good length ball on off, Root waits back and pulls it excellently through mid-wicket for a boundary. he is looking in fine touch. |
| 4.1 : 4.1: I Tahir to J Roy, FOUR! First poor ball by Tahir and it has been put away! Very short and on off, it sits up to be hit. Roy goes back and slaps it through covers for a boundary. |
| 4.4 : 4.4: I Tahir to Joe Root, FOUR! Misfield from Amla! Root plays the sweep to the left of Amla at square leg. He dives but the ball goes under his hands and to the boundary. Second in the over. |
| 5.3 : 5.3: L Ngidi to J Roy, FOUR! Very fine and a boundary! Ngidi is guilty of drifting on the pads, Roy flicks it very fine and it races to the fine leg fence. Runs coming thick and fast now. |
| 6.1 : 6.1: K Rabada to J Roy, FOUR! Straight down the ground and that has raced across the turn! Slightly fuller and on middle, Roy, with a straight bat, hits it past the bowler. It is just a push but the outfield here is lightning fast and it races away. |
| 7.3 : 7.3: L Ngidi to J Roy, FOUR! Stand and deliver! Lovely placement! Another slower one but this is slightly fuller and on off. Roy picks it, waits for it, hits it past the diving short cover and through wide mid off for a boundary. |
| 8.4 : 8.4: K Rabada to Joe Root, FOUR! Poor effort in the deep by Ngidi. Can't blame him though, he would be tired after his spell and we could see that in the effort. Short and on middle, Root gets on top of the bounce and pulls it all along the ground towards backward square leg. Ngidi runs to his left and then instead of bending down, looks to stop it with his leg but fails to do so. That also brings up the 50-run stand between the two. A much-needed one after being rocked early. The two need to ca |
| 10.2 : 10.2: K Rabada to Joe Root, FOUR! Delightful stroke, the on-drive! Probably the toughest shot to play in the game. On off and it is slightly fuller. Root strokes it past the diving mid on fielder and it races away. |
| 11.5 : 11.5: D Pretorius to J Roy, FOUR! Yes, he does go big. Pretorius bowls it short, Roy gets on his back foot and pulls it over mid-wicket. The ball bounces before the ropes and goes away for a boundary. That releases all the pressure that was building. |
| 12.6 : 12.6: K Rabada to J Roy, FOUR! Beautifully played. Rabada bowls it slightly shorter. Roy waits on his back foot and plays a short-arm jab pull through mid-wicket for a boundary. Spoils a good over. |
| 15.2 : 15.2: D Pretorius to J Roy, FOUR! Nice shot! Full on off, Roy gets under it and lofts it over the mid off fielder. It was a slower ball from Pretorius but he could not deceive Roy. |
| 18.3 : 18.3: A Phehlukwayo to J Roy, FOUR! That was four the moment it left the bat. Full on middle and leg, Roy smashes it through long on. There is a man at long on but he does not move an inch. |
| 18.4 : 18.4: A Phehlukwayo to J Roy, OUT! How many times have we seen Roy get to his fifty and throw it away and how often has Phehlukwayo given South Africa the breakthough? Phehlukwayo bangs it in short and Roy who has played the pull short so well today miscues one. He top edges it and it goes up to the right of mid off. Faf du Plessis moves to his right and takes an easy catch. Jason Roy must be kicking himself that he has not converted this into a big one. He was looking very good out in the midd |
| 18.6 : 18.6: A Phehlukwayo to E Morgan, FOUR! Off the mark and in some style! Length ball on off, Morgan gets on top of the ball and drives it gloriously through covers for a boundary. |
| 19.1 : 19.1: K Rabada to Joe Root, OUT! CAUGHT! Rabada strikes on the very first ball of his new spell. Excellent bowling change by Faf du Plessis. Both the set batsmen are now back in the hut. Root too departs after getting to a half ton. Not a great shot this. It is on a length and just outside off, Root leans looks to stroke it on the up but ends up playing away from his body. Hence, it goes uppishly towards point where Duminy takes an easy catch. Rabada is delighted. South Africa right back in the |
| 23.2 : 23.2: L Ngidi to E Morgan, FOUR! Glorious! Full on off and middle, Morgan plays a textbook straight drive. It goes past the mid off fielder and races away to the fence. Morgan holds the pose for the cameras. |
| 25.2: L Ngidi to E Morgan, SIX! He has picked the bones out of this one! Lovely shot. Dances down the track and makes it into a full ball. Morgan then smashes it over long off for a biggie. |
| 25.3 : 25.3: L Ngidi to E Morgan, SIX! Back-to-back maximums! Easy this for Morgan. It is short but bounces at a good height for Morgan. He rocks back and helps it on its way over the fine leg fence. 12 from the first three balls. |
| 26.5 : 26.5: JP Duminy to E Morgan, FOUR! Swept and swept nicely! It is on the pads, Morgan says thank you very much and hits it fine on the leg side for a boundary. |
| 28.4 : 28.4: I Tahir to Ben Stokes, FOUR! Slightly short and Stokes pounces on it. It is on off, Stokes goes back and punches it through covers. It races away. |
| 31.2 : 31.2: A Markram to E Morgan, FOUR! In the air... but just wide! That should break the shackles for England! Full and on off, Stokes hits it uppishly but wide of long off. Rabada there runs to his right and then dives but it is out of reach. A much-needed boundary. |
| 31.5 : 31.5: A Markram to Ben Stokes, SIX! HUGE! Markram slows it up and bowls it on middle, Morgan brings the slog sweep out and hits it into the mid-wicket stand. Second boundary in the over. |
| 32.3 : 32.3: A Phehlukwayo to E Morgan, FOUR! Fifty comes up for the skipper with that boundary. He has been brilliant today. He gets to his 46th ODI fifty with an excellent pull through square leg. His first fifty as skipper in the World Cup. |
| 34.2 : 34.2: A Phehlukwayo to Ben Stokes, EDGY FOUR! England won't care! Stokes dances down the track and Andile bowls it outside off. Stokes swings but the ball flies off the outside edge and down to the third man fence. England may have decided to step on the gas now. |
| 35.2: D Pretorius to Ben Stokes, FOUR! Slower ball gone wrong! Pretorius bowls it full outside off, Stokes stretches out and smashes it over cover for a boundary. Stokes is joining the party now. |
| 35.4 : 35.4: D Pretorius to Ben Stokes, FOUR! Excellent shot! Good length ball on off, Stokes comes down the track and hits it over mid-wicket for a boundary. |
| 35.5 : 35.5: D Pretorius to Ben Stokes, FOUR! Perfect execution! Stokes gets to his fifty with a brilliant shot. Pretorius bowls it full on off, Ben gets down on one knee and plays a delightful reverse paddle over the vacant slip region and into the third man fence for a boundary to get ti his 16th ODI fifty. This is just brilliant stuff from the English all-rounder. |
| 36.5: I Tahir to E Morgan, OUT! In the air... and what a catch by Markram! Excellent. South Africa needed something special to break the stand and Markram has produced it. Tahir is the one who the wicket will be credited to but Markram should be the one getting all the praise. Morgan dances down the track and Tahir bowls the googly. Eoin looks to clear long on but the ball does not go off the middle. For a second though, it seems like it would fall short of the fielder at long on but Markram run |
| 40.4 : 40.4: I Tahir to Ben Stokes, FOUR! Short, wide and punished. Tahir is guilty of giving width to Stokes. He accepts the invitation to hit it and slashes it through covers. Andile Phehlukwayo runs to his right in the deep and puts in a desperate dive to stop the ball from going to the fence but it goes in vain as the ball beats him to the fence. |
| 41.2 : 41.2: L Ngidi to Jos Buttler, OUT! DRAGS IT ON! Ngidi with the big, big wicket. What could have been a possible 350, now comes down to 320 or so. The slower short ball does the trick for Ngidi. It is short and it is on middle, Buttler looks to pull but the ball does not bounce as much as Jos expected it to. It hits the inside edge and then clatters into the stumps behind. They do check for the front foot but replay shows it is fine. Jos fails to make an impact and once again, South Africa manage |
| 43.6 : 43.6: L Ngidi to M Ali, OUT! Another stunning catch! This time it is the skipper, Faf du Plessis. He made that look so easy. Outstanding! Ngidi gets another important breakthrough. It is the slower one and it is full. Moeen hits it off the middle but flat towards wide long on. Faf there covers ground quickly to his left and then with a dive, takes it brilliantly. England are losing their way here. South Africa into the bowling all-rounders. |
| 45.3 : 45.3: K Rabada to C Woakes, FOUR! Rabada bowls it short outside off, Woakes frees his arms and slashes it over backward point for a boundary. |
| 47.3: K Rabada to C Woakes, OUT! Woakes holes out! Faf du Plessis takes his third catch of the day. Slower ball and it is on a length on middle, Woakes flat-bats it but does not get the desired elevation. It goes to Faf at long on who makes no mistake. So just the single and a wicket from the first three balls of the 48th. |
| 47.4 : 47.4: K Rabada to Ben Stokes, FOUR! The second half of the over has began well for England. This is not off the middle but Stokes gets the desired result. Short and wide outside off, Stokes slaps it but off the bottom, through covers and into the boundary. England would love a few more. |
| 47.6 : 47.6: K Rabada to L Plunkett, FOUR! Plunkett gets off the mark with a boundary! So what was a brilliant over till then is spoiled. Short and on the body, LP pulls it hard through backward square leg and it races away. |
| 48.1 : 48.1: L Ngidi to Ben Stokes, FOUR! Poor start this. Comes steaming in and bowls it on the body, Stokes just helps it on its way down to the fine leg region for a boundary. |
| 48.6 : 48.6: L Ngidi to Ben Stokes, OUT! End of an excellent knock from Stokes. It has been a brilliant comeback from South Africa. Ngidi hits the deck hard on a length. It is on off, Stokes looks to play the reverse paddle. He does not time it well and ends up hitting straight to Amla at short third man. 320 now looks far fetched here. |
| 49.2 : 49.2: K Rabada to J Archer, FOUR! Excellent shot! Length ball outside off, Jofra rocks onto his back foot and slashes it through covers for a boundary. |
| 2.4 : 2.4: C Woakes to de Kock, EDGED AND FOUR! No slip and it races away. Slightly short and it is just outside off, de Kock throws his bat at it. The ball goes off the outside edge, past the diving Buttler and into the third man fence. First one for South Africa. |
| 3.2 : 3.2: J Archer to H Amla, FOUR! DEFT! Lovely from Amla. Back of a length and it is slightly outside off, Amla hops and then plays it late. Guides it past second slip and into the third man fence. First boundary for Amla. |
| 4.3 : 4.3: C Woakes to de Kock, FOUR! Poor ball and put away! Yes, de Kock did make a little room but Woakes too helped him by bowling it short and outside off. De Kock slaps it through point for a boundary. |
| 4.5 : 4.5: C Woakes to de Kock, FOUR! On the up! Lovely stroke. Length and around off, de Kock stands tall and strokes it past covers and the ball races away. Second boundary in the over. |
| 6.5: C Woakes to A Markram, FOUR! Glorious! Length ball on off, Markram drives it elegantly through covers. No fielder can stop that from going to the fence. |
| 7.3 : 7.3: J Archer to A Markram, FOUR! Brilliant shot! Not a very bad ball. It is on a length and it is just outside off. Markram strides forward and then strokes it through covers for a boundary. |
| 7.4 : 7.4: J Archer to A Markram, OUT! EDGED AND TAKEN! Jofra Archer draws first blood! He gets his revenge and he is delighted. Back of a length on off, this may have been the effort ball as it bounces a little more. Markram looks to punch it through the off side but fails to get on top of the bounce. It flies off the outside edge to Root at first slip who takes a neat catch. 276 more needed in 254 balls. |
| 7.5 : 7.5: J Archer to du Plessis, FOUR! Faf du Plessis is off the mark with a boundary! He uses the pace of the bowler here. It is fuller and on off, Faf leans into it and times it past mid off. It races to the fence. |
| 9.3 : 9.3: J Archer to du Plessis, OUT! In the air... taken! Faf du Plessis is out of here! England are into the fragile middle order of South Africa and that too very early in the game. The bouncer does the trick. It is on middle, Faf looks to pull but just like Markram does not get on top of the bounce. The ball takes the top edge and goes high up in the air towards fine leg. Moeen Ali there takes a good catch. South Africa in trouble here. |
| 10.5 : 10.5: A Rashid to de Kock, FOUR! What happened there? Has that hit the stumps? Yes, it has! But the bails have not come off, instead the ball has gone to the boundary. The googly which pitches around leg. De Kock goes for the sweep shot but misses as the ball stays low. It kisses the off pole, goes past Buttler and down to the third man fence. 50 up for South Africa. |
| 11.6 : 11.6: M Ali to de Kock, SIX! That was six the moment it left the bat. Moeen flights it on off. He ends up serving it under de Kock's bat. He takes full toll of it and smothers it over the mid-wicket fence for the first maximum of the innings. |
| 15.2 : 15.2: M Ali to van der Dussen, FOUR! Reverse swept and that has been played nicely! He goes down on one knee and hits it past backward point. First boundary for him and that should get him going. |
| 16.1 : 16.1: A Rashid to de Kock, FOUR! On the pads, de Kock looks to whip it but gets an inside edge which goes fine down the leg side. The ball races away to the fien leg fence for a boundary. |
| 20.1: L Plunkett to de Kock, FOUR! Just the start to the over South Africa would have wanted. Plunkett bangs it in short, de Kock was waiting for it and he pulls it through square leg for a boundary. With that boundary 100 comes up for the Proteas. |
| 20.5 : 20.5: L Plunkett to de Kock, SIX! What a shot! Full on off, de Kock moves away slightly towards the leg stump and tonks it over covers for a maximum. |
| 21.1 : 21.1: M Ali to van der Dussen, SIX! Top shot! Rassie dances down the track, gets to the pitch of it and then lofts it over the long off fence for a biggie. Runs starting to flow now for South Africa. Ideal start to the over, pressure on the bowler now. |
| 21.2 : 21.2: M Ali to van der Dussen, FOUR! Lovely batting from Rassie! He showed power on the last ball and finesse this time. Goes down on one knee and reverse sweeps it through short third man for a boundary. 10 from the first two balls. |
| 21.5 : 21.5: M Ali to van der Dussen, FOUR! Third boundary in the over! This may have been off the edge. Yes, it is. Floated outside off, it is the straighter one. Rassie looks to defend but does so for the turn which is not there. The ball goes off the outside edge. The fielder from short third man runs after it and dives but his effort goes in vain. |
| 22.6 : 22.6: L Plunkett to de Kock, OUT! Big, big wicket for England. Plunkett who has been a bit expensive today has got them the big fish. Quinton de Kock is out of here. It is not the best of deliveries. It is full on the pads, de Kock looks to flick it over the fine leg fence. He does not get the desired elevation as the ball comes off the lower half of his bat. It goes to the right of Joe Root stationed at fine leg. He moves there and takes a good catch in front of him. The 85-run stand is broken |
| 25.3 : 25.3: M Ali to JP Duminy, FOUR! Good use of the feet here. Moeen tosses it up on off and middle, Duminy comes down the track and lofts it over mid-wicket. The ball bounces before the ropes and goes away for four. |
| 25.5 : 25.5: M Ali to JP Duminy, OUT! Duminy holes out! Moeen has the last laugh. Moeen shows courage and flights this ball on off, Duminy looks to go inside out over long off. He does not time it well and ends up hitting it straight to long off. Ben Stokes there who has had a very good game so far takes a simple catch. South Africa losing regular wickets here. |
| 26.2 : 26.2: L Plunkett to van der Dussen, OUT! Pretorius is well short! This is probably the last thing South Africa would have wanted. Rassie strokes this through covers. They take one and then go for the second. Stokes does brilliantly as he runs to his right and then picks it up with one hand. Fires it to Morgan who is standing ahead of the stumps. He collects it and then whips the bails off. They appeal and it has been taken upstairs. Replays show that DP is short. That second where he had to run |
| 28.4 : 28.4: A Rashid to A Phehlukwayo, FOUR! Floated on off. It is very full, Phehlukwayo picks the bones out of it and smashes it through mid off for a boundary. |
| 29.1 : 29.1: M Ali to A Phehlukwayo, FOUR! Up and over! Phehlukwayo dances down the track but does not get to the pitch of the ball. He still manages to drag it over mid on for a boundary. Risky shot but the risk comes off. |
| 29.4 : 29.4: M Ali to van der Dussen, FOUR! Second boundary in the over! Too short and outside off, Rassie goes back and slaps it past covers and it races away. |
| 31.5 : 31.5: J Archer to van der Dussen, OUT! There goes, probably, South Africa's last hope of chasing this total down. The well-set van der Dussen walks back after getting to a half ton. What an impact Archer has made. He gets his third and that too, all three of his wickets are huge. Once again the short ball does the trick for him. It is quick and the key here is the length. It is outside off, Rassie looks to drag his pull but only manages a top edge. It balloons towards mid on where Ali takes an e |
| 32.1 : 32.1: A Rashid to A Phehlukwayo, FOUR! Swept and swept away! Rashid flights it on off, Phehlukwayo gets down on one knee and sweeps it over mid-wicket. The ball bounces in front of the ropes and goes away for a boundary. |
| 33.4 : 33.4: J Archer to A Phehlukwayo, FOUR! Easy-peasy! On the pads, Phehlukwayo works it fine on the leg side and the ball races away. |
| 34.1 : 34.1: A Rashid to A Phehlukwayo, OUT! Ho, Ho, Ho! That is some catch! My word! Ben Stokes, take a bow. Still can't believe he has taken it. For a second not even he could. Andile Phehlukwayo too trudges off in disbelief. Magnificent. Rashid tosses this up on middle, Phehlukwayo goes down and looks to play the slog sweep. He nails it towards deep mid-wicket. Ben Stokes there is standing a little too inside the ropes as it is the longer part of the ground. He moves to his left and then leaps with |
| 37.2 : 37.2: Ben Stokes to K Rabada, FOUR! Just over! Stokes bowls it short, Rabada plays the pull towards mid-wicket. Eoin Morgan stretches his right hand up but it still goes over him for a boundary. |
| 38.1 : 38.1: L Plunkett to H Amla, OUT! There goes the last recognized batsman. Once again we see the short ball doing the trick. It is outside off, Amla looks to pull but there is a top edge. It goes to Buttler who takes it and appeals. Amla starts walking. |
| 38.4 : 38.4: L Plunkett to L Ngidi, SIX! Full and on middle, Ngidi lofts it with ease over the long on fence. |
| 39.1 : 39.1: Ben Stokes to K Rabada, FOUR! STREAKY! Not sure though why there isn't a slip in place! Length and outside off, Rabada hangs his bat out. The ball flies off the outside edge and to the third man fence. |
| 39.4 : 39.4: Ben Stokes to K Rabada, OUT! Caught. There goes wicket number 9 and Jofra Archer is denied a fifer. A short ball, around middle and off, Rabada pulls it firmly again but this time it is in the hands of Liam Plunkett at deep square leg. |
| 39.5 : 39.5: Ben Stokes to I Tahir, OUT! Catching practice! Two in two for Stokes. He did it with the bat, he was brilliant in the field and now finishes it with the ball. Length delivery on off, Tahir opens the face of the bat and guides it to widish first slip where Root takes a neat catch diving to his right. All smiles in the England camp AS THEY HAVE WON BY 104 RUNS! |
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