By Lucky Maree
Toiling away in the blazing sun not only makes demands on the body and the limbs, it makes the most fearsome demands on the spirit.
With England batting first in the second One Day International the Proteas will have to dig deep to make every ball count instead of just going through the motions.
On Saturday, the Proteas showed an admirable fighting spirit. Will they lose focus in the second encounter?
In the first 16 overs, the Proteas take three wickets conceding a less than breath-taking 83 runs at about five runs per over.
Then Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali and the pace picks up. Brook goes out for 80, Ali goes for 51 and captain Buttler, sitting at 65, looks very comfortable. And all of them have a strike rate of over 100 — a situation that would make most fielders sweat.
In an almost mirror image of the Proteas’ innings in the first match, the England batters turn it on in the last few overs. Buttler ends up with a 94 not out from 84 balls that will do his averages no harm whatsoever.
England 342 for 7
Top batters:
Jos Buttler 94 from 84
Harry Brook 80 from 75
Top bowlers:
Anrich Nortje 2 wickets 9 overs for 64 runs
Wayne Parnell 1 wicket 10 overs for 54 runs
As the South African openers Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock step into the middle of the oval the game is definitely on.
Bavuma, in fighting mode, comes out and immediately starts scoring at better than 100 strike rate.
Even when Quinton de Kock goes out (31 off 28 balls) and Rassie van der Dussen comes in, the strike rate is maintained.
The 100 comes up for South Africa at 16 overs close to the 6.84 required run rate with a lot of batting to come.
With Bavuma on 95 he seems to be powering to his century — but he gets pulled up, literally, by cramp. He may just have to come off soon, but not before his 100 comes up off 94 balls. When he goes out a 109, his standing ovation is well-deserved.
When Heinrich Klaasen goes for 27 runs that brings David Miller to the crease. The outcome of the game probably rests in his hands.
He immediately starts hitting the ball all over the park, taking on the bowlers, come one come all.
With 12 balls to go, South Africa needs 12 runs. And England desperately need a wicket that at this stage can still change the game.
But Marco Jansen hits a four taking his score to 32 for 29 and Miller ends the game with a six.
South Africa 347 for 5
Top batters:
Temba Bavuma 109 from 102 balls
David Miller 58 from 37
Top bowlers:
Ollie Stone 2 wickets 10 overs for 48 runs
Adil Rashid 2 wickets 10 overs for 72 runs
Pictured above: David Miller
Image source: @ProteasMenCSA
