South Africa v England
Wisden's review of South Africa v England
Lawrence Booth
15-Apr-2017
At Mumbai (Wankhede), March 18, 2016 (floodlit). England won by two wickets. Toss: England.
At the break between innings, England's tournament looked over almost before it had begun. Having felt the wrath of Chris Gayle two evenings earlier, their seamers had served up so many freebies that their batsmen were obliged to make 230. Undeterred, Roy and Hales hit 44 off the first two overs, from Rabada and Steyn - and England began to believe. Wickets fell, but they stayed on top of the rate. And, with the hundred coming up in 7.3 overs, Root was playing a blinder. Morgan was outwitted by Duminy to make it 111 for four, but Root treated an equation of 112 off ten overs with serene disdain, pulling Duminy for six, then upper-cutting Morris for another. South Africa, who would eventually concede 20 in wides, were panicking, even more so when Steyn returned for an over which took his analysis to 2-0-35-0, the worst mauling of his Twenty20 career. With 44 needed off 27 balls, Buttler was stumped off the impressively tight Imran Tahir, who in a game of 39 fours and 22 sixes conceded none. And, by the time Root was caught at deep backward square for a sublime 83 from 44 deliveries, England were all but home; not even the frantic loss of two wickets with the scores level could dilute the euphoria. In reality, they could have been chasing even more. De Kock, who made a 21-ball fifty, equalling South Africa's quickest in the format, and Amla, who needed 25 for his, had begun with 96 in seven overs, and England were grateful for the relative tidiness of Ali and Rashid. Duminy, the third half-centurion of the innings, helped take 36 off the last two overs, at which point Morgan's team looked doomed. Then came spectacular redemption.
Man of the Match: J. E. Root.
At the break between innings, England's tournament looked over almost before it had begun. Having felt the wrath of Chris Gayle two evenings earlier, their seamers had served up so many freebies that their batsmen were obliged to make 230. Undeterred, Roy and Hales hit 44 off the first two overs, from Rabada and Steyn - and England began to believe. Wickets fell, but they stayed on top of the rate. And, with the hundred coming up in 7.3 overs, Root was playing a blinder. Morgan was outwitted by Duminy to make it 111 for four, but Root treated an equation of 112 off ten overs with serene disdain, pulling Duminy for six, then upper-cutting Morris for another. South Africa, who would eventually concede 20 in wides, were panicking, even more so when Steyn returned for an over which took his analysis to 2-0-35-0, the worst mauling of his Twenty20 career. With 44 needed off 27 balls, Buttler was stumped off the impressively tight Imran Tahir, who in a game of 39 fours and 22 sixes conceded none. And, by the time Root was caught at deep backward square for a sublime 83 from 44 deliveries, England were all but home; not even the frantic loss of two wickets with the scores level could dilute the euphoria. In reality, they could have been chasing even more. De Kock, who made a 21-ball fifty, equalling South Africa's quickest in the format, and Amla, who needed 25 for his, had begun with 96 in seven overs, and England were grateful for the relative tidiness of Ali and Rashid. Duminy, the third half-centurion of the innings, helped take 36 off the last two overs, at which point Morgan's team looked doomed. Then came spectacular redemption.
Man of the Match: J. E. Root.