Key events
WICKET! Buttler c Ngidi b Maharaj 14 (England 28-1)
Super stuff from Maharaj! Early in the over he kept them pinned back. It was the prompt for Buttler to open up the off-side, edging over the top of his middle stump and just past de Kock’s gloves for four. Next ball: almost a carbon copy except this time the ball made it to Ngidi at short third who did well moving forward to complete the catch. Well now… the captain is gone and the power play is vanishing.
3rd over: England 21-0 (Roy 12, Buttler 9) Target 192. Ngidi is on for over number three and Buttler gets his first boundary to begin, a tidy tuck too fine of the man inside the circle on the 45. A shout for lbw follows when Roy is on strike but it’s turned down – going down leg, no review. Roy wants pull a shorter ball when it comes but gets none of it – his touch, it’s just not there. Nice changes of pace, too.
A theory from Tom v d Gucht. “I remember before the 2005 Ashes there was talk of not playing Harmison into he two ODI series and the T20 game so the Aussies had less time fo acclimatising to his pace and bounce. It seemed cowardly at the time, but there might have been something in it. Mills started the T20 world Cup well but then faded and was more effectively played as the tournament progressed- until he was injured… Similarly, Topley has been less effective as the series has progressed and Joedan’s revitalised death bowling has been more effectively countered after his recent renaissance. Maybe you’re better off keeping your best bowlers as mysteries and only rarely rolling them out to keep the surprise impact intact….”
2nd over: England 15-0 (Roy 11, Buttler 4) Target 192. Nortje, back today in the place of Rabada who has an ankle niggle, starts well attacking the stumps at pace. Roy looks tentative. “But maybe his luck has changed!” Mark Butcher declares when the Surrey opener benefits from four overthrows via Maharaj. It was worth a ping with Roy slow out of the blocks after placing a ball to backward point but nobody was backing off. He pulls a couple to finish but doesn’t get all of it. He shoots his captain a smile at the end of the over, which is worth ten to the home side.
Keith Channel shares my curiosity about the non-use of Moeen. “So Moeen bowled an economical over, including a real beauty, and we’ve not seen him since. Jordan had a bit of a mare bowls out. I can’t help thinking Morgan would have played this differently (aka better).”
1st over: England 5-0 (Roy 3, Buttler 2) Target 192. Singles for both to start – looks to be a bit of grip in the surface for South Africa’s no1 finger spinner. The strangest part of England’s bowling card earlier was Moeen bowling Rossouw over with a beauty and conceding just four runs from his first over but not bowling again. Anyway, five singles to start here as they feel each other out in this winner-takes-all innings.
The players are back on the field. All eyes on Jason Roy – can be break his slump in England’s final white-ball game of the summer? Initially, he’ll be up against the classy spin of Keshav Maharaj. Long on and deep midwicket are back. PLAY!
A strange innings. South Africa went six overs without hitting a boundary after the power play and looked to be limping along but then smashed 87 in their final eight tl; leave England a fairly hefty chase on a big ground. Should be fun. Back for it shortly.
ENGLAND REQUIRE 192 TO WIN. WICKET! Stubbs c Livingstone b Willey 8.
Wow, Tristan Stubbs, who we’ve seen at his best in the first match of this series, flat-bats Willey back over his head first ball for four – what power this kid has. And savvy too, getting inside the line of a short ball next up, helping it beyond short fine for back to back boundaries. Two balls to go and Willey goes to the shorter slower ball wide and out towards the tram-tracks, perfectly positioned, Stubbs misses his forehand smash. “It’s not pretty,” says Eoin Morgan, “but that’s such an effective ball at this stage.” And he gets him last ball too, a fine piece of fielding from Livingstone running around from deep cover to pouch the catch a metre inside the rope. Willey finishes with 3/25 from four, comfortably the pick of the England bowlers.
20th over: South Africa 191-5 (Markram 51)
WICKET! Miller b Willey 22 from 9 (South Africa 183-4)
Willey back to bowl over No20 having sent down three good’uns off the top and he’s knocked the captain over with four balls to go. They miss, you hit and all that.
Markram to 50 in 36 balls
19th over: South Africa 181-3 (Markram 51, Miller 20) Lifted over long on and… all the way! Miller gets South Africa’s first six of the innings and it’s off the bowling Jordan, who, with the exception of the Hendricks wicket, has battled today. Miller’s striking up over 300 here – just what they needed. Four more to Markram, a top edge over point. And to finish with a couple down the ground he’s reached a half-century; his seventh in T20 Internationals. A very good player. Meanwhile, quickly totting it up, South Africa have hit 77 in seven overs to get within striking distance of 200.
England have been unusually ineffective in the middle overs in T20Is this summer – they’ve only taken 14 wickets in 60 overs while conceding more than 10 an over
Rashid missed the India series and has been quiet vs SA, and short on high-pace options with no Wood or Archer
— Matt Roller (@mroller98) July 31, 2022
18th over: South Africa 166-3 (Markram 44, Miller 13) Topley’s turn to face the music and it’s Markram in response with a reverse scoop for four! Dare I say it, Joe Root stuff there. And he makes it back to back boundaries with a flick behind square – super stuff. Miller’s turn and he gets a bit of luck when driving to Moeen at cover, the ball jumping off a used surface and running down for a third boundary in the over. Topley has two failed attempts at completing the over – twice getting to the crease and not letting the ball go! Third time’s a charm, just a leg bye. Still, 15 off it.
17th over: South Africa 151-3 (Markram 35, Miller 8) It’s the captain now, also playing his 100th game. And his class is immediately on show, two crisp boundaries either side of point into the gap – all placement, super stuff. Another double-digit over even after losing the set man Hendricks. Still a chance at 190 here, the Proteas.
WICKET! Hendricks c Buttler b Jordan 70 (South Africa 142-3)
Classy slower ball from Jordan, finds a top edge and Buttler, diving out to square leg, takes a good catch. It ends fine innings. They needed that – both England and Jordan.
16th over: South Africa 141-2 (Hendricks 70, Markram 34) Might’ve reached the point where it’s in South Africa’s interest to lose a wicket and get the captain or Stubbs in to finish the job but they aren’t seeing it that way. Hendricks v Curran and he tries to take lesser-spotted full delivery from the left-armer over midwicket but it deflects off nearly the back of his bat over short third for four more. That’ll do. And he finishes with a swat over square leg – another boundary. 14 from it and 48 from the last four.
Hendricks passes 50 in 42 balls
15th over: South Africa 127-2 (Hendricks 58, Markram 33) That’s three on the trot for the opener, really making himself a must-select in that World Cup team come October. He’s to the mark after having to rush back for a second run, home comfortably even with the direct hit. He celebrates by clocking his sixth boundary later in the over off Topley, slapping him with completely control over cover, where he’s at his best. They’re now put on 72 from 52 with three double-digit overs in a row.
14th over: South Africa 116-2 (Hendricks 49, Markram 31) Excellent from Hendricks to show a bit of resourcefulness against Rashid to start his final over, making room to lift him through cover for four – really well hit. Later in the over it is Markram finding the boundary with a nailed sweep shot… nobody is stopping that. 12 off the over; two good’uns in a row for the visitors. Rashid finishes with 0/33 from his four.
13th over: South Africa 104-2 (Hendricks 43, Markram 25) The last big over South Africa enjoyed was against Jordan to finish the power play when taking 17 from him and helped by a firm pull over midwicket for four – their first boundary since that sixth over – they collect 11 off the veteran here. When do we see Moeen again?
12th over: South Africa 93-2 (Hendricks 41, Markram 17) The pattern continues: six singles off Rashid, the sweepers doing the work and doing it well, including David Willey with a fine diving stop at midwicket to deny Markram’s sweep. This pair have put on 38 from 34 and they need to try put the foot down right now.
11th over: South Africa 87-2 (Hendricks 38, Markram 14) So, the end of a 13-minute delay and Sam Curran is back to doing what he did before the rain: banging it in half way. And it’s working – that’s five overs complete since the end of the power play and the Proteas as yet to find (or clear) the ropes in this passage of play.
Mills is injured, by the way. Thanks to Amelia and Brendan who both dropped me a line in response to Tom’s earlier email. A toe issue, so shouldn’t be too serious.
Sun is out, covers are off. Let’s try this again. Play to resume shortly.
“I was just wondering, what’s happened to Tymal Mills?” Good point, Tom v d Gucht. “He was pretty damned impressive in the T20 world Cup last year and in the Hundred (if that means anything… although I will be watching any free-to-air cricket going…) Is he part of the list of injured bowlers, or has he slipped out of favour? He seemed to offer something a bit different last year and, in a similar way, I’m dissapointed we’ve not had aook at Lintott yet either.”
I actually don’t know the answer to that. He was very much part of England’s thinking late last year at the T20 World Cup and earlier this year too. I’ll ask.
10th over: South Africa 80-2 (Hendricks 35, Markram 11) Adil Rashid continues. Can Hendricks get his strike rate up here? He’s faced 28 balls for his 33 as the over begins. The googly is working well to both right handers here, cramping them up, but they’re on the bike now running hard between the wickets, eight runs taken as the rain starts again. Looks heavier this time. They’ll go off the field. Sorry.
9th over: South Africa 72-2 (Hendricks 33, Markram 5) Moeen off after that first over? Matchups, and all that, ay. Slammin’ Sammy Curran gets his first chance; one of seven bowling options that Buttler has today. He’s banging it in short from the get go and more or less throughout the over but he has protection for it – no boundaries.
8th over: South Africa 64-2 (Hendricks 29, Markram 2) Spin from both ends with Rashid, who starts nicely as well – seven from it, all to the sweepers. They’ll take that, the home side. He really is the middle-overs expert.
7th over: South Africa 57-2 (Hendricks 23, Markram 1) Outstanding from Moeen.
When running through all the sport going on in the UK earlier today I forgot about the ODI in Scotland. But we have Simon McMahon here to bring us up to speed. “Afternoon Adam. After a difficult week for Scottish cricket, not least for Majid Haq and Qasim Sheikh, whose racist treatment and subsequent bravery in shining a light on the goings on at Cricket Scotland will hopefully lead to real change and a brighter future for all, Scotland finish their mini-series against New Zealand with an ODI in Edinburgh today. Having lost both T20’s heavily, the Scots recovered well from 107-5 in the 25th over to post a respectable 306 all out. Short boundaries at the Grange, so I’d still expect NZ to reach that total with a bit to spare. Hopefully Scotland can continue to restore its reputation at the World T20 later this year.”
WICKET! Rossouw b Moeen Ali 31 (South Africa 55-2)
Bowled him! What a great change from Buttler. Moeen into the attack and with his third ball he’s beaten the in-form Rossouw with a gem from round the wicket, angling in and turning sharply passed the edge and into the off-stump. Gorgeous.
6th over: South Africa 53-1 (Hendricks 21, Rossouw 31) Chris Jordan to send down the final over of the power play. And what a lovely bit of batting from Rossouw from the second ball, late cutting past the short third to get his third four. And with fine leg also up inside the circle he makes it a fourth boundary, albeit off an inside edge. “A moral victory for Chris Jordan,” says Ian Ward on Sky. “But he’s under pressure right away conceding nine runs for his first three deliveries.” Now a third boundary from the penultimate ball, threaded through the covers by Rossouw. And he hammers it through that gap again to finish – complete authority. 17 off the over to finish the power play with Rossouw right into his work as the field drops back.
5th over: South Africa 36-1 (Hendricks 20, Rossouw 15) A quick single/leg bye to finish the interrupted over. Willey has 1/15 from three bowled off the top.
They’re back on. Good news. No more of that, please – too much sport going on this afternoon for multiple rain delays. Cheers.
Sounds like a quick but frustrating delay. One of those where the rain wouldn’t be heavy enough to take them off but is sufficient to keep them off. Oh, as I type that, the hover cover is leaving the field so the players should be back on soon.
Urgh, it’s raining. Sorry. The covers come out as Hendricks needs a quick concussion test after a top edge glances his helmet on the way through to the rope.
4.5 overs: South Africa 35-1 (Hendricks 20, Rossouw 15)
4th over: South Africa 28-1 (Hendricks 15, Rossouw 13) Topley goes short and Hendricks finds the middle of the bat for the first time, pulled away for four. To finish, he opens up the off side and helps it over extra cover – four more. Better.
“Afternoon Adam.” Brian Withington! Great to hear from you. “Interesting interview with Eoin Morgan, as you say. However I don’t think he adequately explained (or even attempted?) the key question of why he decided to drop Roy for the 2017 semi- final having backed him all the way up to it. As for 2022, Roy’s currently living on borrowed time for my money. It’s all very well backing old retainers, but what signal is that sending to the youngsters banging at the door?”
I suspect if they weren’t leading into another World Cup it might be on the agenda but they’ll be reluctant to move an experienced matchwinner on at this stage.
3rd over: South Africa 17-1 (Hendricks 10, Rossouw 7) Whoa, a beauty from Willey to start his fresh over, squaring Hendricks up a treat – deserved an edge. Rossouw finds three through cover when he gets his chance before Hendricks is saved by his inside edge for a second time in two overs with another boundary coming from it. Living dangerously. Another excellent over from Willey who is moving it both ways.
2nd over: South Africa 9-1 (Hendricks 5, Rossouw 4) Two left-armers to begin with Reece Topley sharing the new ball. And he finds Hendrick’s inside edge with his second ball – nice movement though the air but it spits away beyond the left stump down to the rope for South Africa’s first runs of the match. Ooh, confusion later in the over with Rossouw charging down without Hendrick’s consent – he gets back, just. Rossouw plays a short-arm jab over midwicket to finish; far from convincing but enough for a boundary with the field up inside the first power play period.
1st over: South Africa 0-1 (Hendricks 0, Rossouw 0) Confirmed as NOT OUT! Going over middle and off. Nevertheless, a brilliant first over from Willey with movement off the track throughout, a wicket maiden for the returning left-armer.
ENGLAND REVIEW! Willey is convinced he has Rossouw leg before wicket with the final ball of this eventful first over and upstairs they go. Height looks the main issue.
WICKET! de Kock b Willey 0 (South Africa 0-1)
What a start for England! After two full and straight deliveries, Willey pulls his length back just a touch and de Kock drags the ball back onto his middle stump.
The players are on the field. de Kock and Hendricks are opening up for the visitors. The match ball has been delivered on the back of one of those small cars they use for football games these day sand Mark Butcher has the remote control – fun and games. David Willey, back into the England XI today, is taking the first over. PLAY!
Before we get into it, so much sport to follow this afternoon with live blogs on the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix (Russell leads after 14 laps), the Comm Games and the build-up to the big one at Wembley. A day for keeping a lot of tabs open!
More from Morgan. He believes they have to play a frontline spinner in the World Cup in Australia, namly Adil Rashid, rather than piecing it together with all-rounders. He points to the data at bigger Australian grounds where spinners have, on average, better economy rates than seamers in this form of the game. If not Adil Rashid (for whatever reason), he talks up the chances of Liam Dawson as an experienced operator across franchise cricket bowling at all stages of an innings.
Eoin Morgan has slotted straight in on Sky. Sitting with Ian Ward, Mike Atherton and Mark Butcher, it’s like he’s been doing this for a decade. Athers asks the former captain about when he dropped Jason Roy for the the 2017 Champions Trophy semi-final, essentially asking when might be the right time in this slump. “Keeping players for longer builds an element of trust,” he begins before taking us back to the 2015 reset. “We wanted players to feel comfortable taking greater risks. For that, you have to allow them to fail and fail and fail again and continue to back them.”
The teams as named
England: Jason Roy, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, David Willey, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Rilee Rossouw, Aiden Markram, David Miller (c), Tristan Stubbs, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi.
England win the toss, bowling first
Jos Buttler believes the pitch will remain “pretty much the same” throughout. He confirms Willey for Gleeson as the one change. “We’ve been searching for a complete performance all summer and there’s no better time to do that in a series decider.”
David Miller, playing his 100th T20i, says that the Proteas have two changes, Markram and Nortje in for Klaasen and Rabada, the latter out with an ankle niggle.
David Willey in for Richard Gleeson? We’ll find out at the toss in five minutes.
Ageas Bowl filling up ahead of the deciding T20I – covers off after a brief shower earlier. Expecting David Willey to come into the England XI pic.twitter.com/HLcOx8WhDx
— Matt Roller (@mroller98) July 31, 2022
Preamble
Adam Collins
It feels like South Africa have been in the country playing white-ball internationals for a month or more now. Maybe that’s a function of their stretch starting just two days after a stack of matches against India, or that the Proteas women were over here touring at the same time. Perhaps its the fact that Jos Buttler’s team are playing their 12th game in the space of 24 days. Or maybe it’s just me. In any case… once more with gusto! Welcome to the third and final T20 international from Southampton on a very busy afternoon of sport around this United Kingdom.
The series is square at one apiece with the England camp have noting in the build-up to this decider that it would be timely for them to win the trophy here having failed to in their aforementioned summer series. They saluted easily in the opener by boshing 234-6 at Bristol thanks to YJ Bairstow’s 90 and Moeen Ali’s 16-ball half-century. The tables were turned in Cardiff when the visitors passed 200 with an unbeaten 96 from the returning man due to Brexit (long story), Rilee Roussouw.
It’s also of note that this is England’s final limited-overs match of the summer and a T20 World Cup is around the corner in October and November. So there’s quite a bit in this. Especially for Jason Roy, who has had a poor time of it throughout. I’ll be back with the toss and the teams shortly. And of course, you can drop me a line throughout the afternoon to the usual place, or tweet me if that’s more your thing.