Key events
2nd over: South Africa 5-0 (Malan 2, de Kock 3) There’s a hint of swing for David Willey, and Janneman Malan is beaten by the one that doesn’t come back in. Willey starts with a good maiden.
1st over: South Africa 5-0 (Malan 2, de Kock 3) Reece Topley has taken 11 for 76 in his last three ODIs, many of them with the new ball. It takes him a few deliveries to find his range, but his last is a jaffa that straightens past the outside edge of Quinton de Kock.
The players are out, and the in-form Reece Topley will bowl the first over.
Cricket and climate change
This is another terrific piece from Tanya Aldred, who was one of the first, if not the first, to raise awareness of the subject.
It’s a pleasant, sunny morning in Headingley, which contradicts the forecast. There’s a chance of rain later, although you never really know with these things.
Team news
Both teams are unchanged. Next!
England Roy, Bairstow, Salt, Root, Buttler (c/wk), Livingstone, Ali, Curran, Willey, Rashid, Topley.
South Africa Malan, de Kock (wk), van der Dussen, Markram, Klaasen, Miller, Pretorious, Maharaj (c), Nortje, Ngidi, Shamsi.
South Africa win the toss and bat
So much for it being advantage to bowl. Keshav Maharaj says the pitch looks a bit dry, so South Africa want to give their spinners the best chance to take wickets.
Jos Buttler says England were “a bit 50/50” but would probably have bowled.
Some significant news from Scotland
BREAK: The board of Cricket Scotland has resigned with immediate effect. Follows ‘devastating’ review that found Scottish cricket to be ‘institutionally racist. Our report yesterday @SkyNews https://t.co/gTks8ZAFro via @YouTube
— James Matthews (@jamesmatthewsky) July 24, 2022
Ali Martin’s preview
Preamble
Sunday: the day of rest. And, in English cricket in July 2022, of resolution. For the second consecutive Sunday, England are involved in an ODI series decider. A week ago they bowed to the genius of Rishabh Pant at Old Trafford a week ago; today, they will hope for a better outcome against South Africa at Headingley.
Bilateral series tend not to tattoo themselves on the brain – if you don’t believe me, try naming the England XI for the first ODI against the Netherlands last month, and then try listing the Netherlands XI – but they occasionally find a home in the subconscious. This is a quietly important game for an England team who have suffered a crisis of confidence in the last few weeks.
In a world where perception increasingly trumps reality, the line between blip and terminal decline can be gossamer-thin. If England lose a third consecutive white-ball series, the end-of-an-era talk will be amplified. But if they win they will feel a whole lot better about their life going into the T20 series on Wednesday.
We haven’t said this too often over the last seven years, but England need more from their batters. They started the ODI summer by almost scoring 500 against the Netherlands; since then they haven’t reached 300.
Jos Buttler would also like a bit more luck with the toss. He lost important ones against India at the Oval and South Africa at Chester-le-Street. With a mixed forecast at Headingley, it will surely be a decent advantage to bowl first.
The match begins at 11am, with the toss at 10.30am.