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England vs South Africa, 2nd ODI at Southampton, , May 27 2017 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
2nd ODI, Southampton, May 27, 2017, South Africa tour of England
330/6
(50 ov, T:331) 328/5

England won by 2 runs

Player Of The Match
101 (79) & 1/12
ben-stokes
New
SA
Full commentary
end of over 504 runs
SA: 328/5CRR: 6.56 
Chris Morris35 (22b 3x4 2x6)
David Miller71 (51b 5x4 2x6)
Mark Wood 10-0-47-0
Jake Ball 10-0-81-0

England win by two runs and go 2-0 up in the series. What a finish! South Africa will wonder how they did get over the line after Miller and Morris did so well. But England - Ball and Wood - did not concede more than a single off the last 10 balls of the innings. There are bigger fish to fry over the next few weeks, but South Africa have head in hands and England are lapping up the applause from the crowd.

John: "Hey Andrew,just wondering how many comments you've got with 'C' word in them in the last 5 minutes" Oh, a few.

Let's just recap: England made 330, based around Ben Stokes' century and Jos Buttler finished things off. As at Headingley, South Africa were well placed in the chase but England managed to get AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock close together. While Morris and Miller cut loose, it appeared the wicket of Farhaan Behardien might have done more harm than good for England.

Imran: "Hey Andrew, and how many comments you've about Behardien's selection or his inning in them in the last 5 minutes ??" Almost as many as the 'c' word!

JT: "Bravo, Woody. Ice cool."

I'll bring you the presentation in a moment...AB de Villiers "I thought the boys played so well at the end, England got their plans well at the end. Unfortunate we didn't get across the line, but proud of the effort. We lost myself and Quinny together so it could have been easier, but we batted very deep. We were a little careless [in the field] and there was a bit of faulty thinking. There were probably four or five overs that went too big and cost us the game. I can't be unhappy, we fought right to end and probably had it in the back for most of that last half hour."

Eoin Morgan "Those are the sorts of games you really want to win. You learn a lot more. The game got away from us quite a lot. Woody was awesome. The tournament is bound to be pretty tight so this sort of prep is ideal. We are always trying to improve, Wood and Ball were using different skills than they usually would. The conditions we batted under this morning it was pretty difficult to get going."

Man of the Match is Ben Stokes "It just shows what a bit of pace on the ball can do. Rabada and Morris show it as well, hard to strike 90mph cleanly. You want to be in those situations. Woody, the nerve he showed, to defend seven was an amazing effort. A massive confidence booster. The bowling is getting effected by the knee, got a few more scans coming up, batting and fielding is fine. It's nice to hit the ball well, to have form behind you. Hopefully we can continue this form."

Phew! Well, that just about wraps things up for today. A fantastic all-round game of cricket. Thanks for joining us and we'll be back for the final ODI at Lord's on Monday - we'll also have coverage of India's warm-up match against New Zealand tomorrow. For now, from Andrew Miller and Andrew McGlashan it's goodbye.

49.6
1lb
Wood to Morris, 1 leg bye

England have done it! What a final over from Wood. It's back of a length, Morris heaves across the line and it rebounds off his back leg to the off side

Goodness me. South Africa need four off the last ball to win. What an effort from Wood

49.5
Wood to Morris, no run

dot ball! And an appeal for a gloved pull. Was a short ball, very well directed, not called wide. Oh, the drama. Did it clip the arm?

Wood has done very well here...4 off 2 needed. Still one blow for Morris

49.4
1
Wood to Miller, 1 run

that's out of the screws, but only a single as the pull shot races to deep square...nearly took the square leg umpire

5 off 3

49.3
Wood to Miller, no run

dot ball! Short of a length, follows the batsman as he moves outside leg, beats the top edge

Still in hand for South Africa

49.2
1
Wood to Morris, 1 run

short again, pulled to long leg...was struck sweetly but almost straight at the fielder

49.1
1
Wood to Miller, 1 run

short, down the leg side, pulled to long leg...fielder quickly on it, so just the single

So, 7 off 6 needed. Any late drama?

end of over 4913 runs
SA: 324/5CRR: 6.61 RRR: 7.00
Chris Morris34 (19b 3x4 2x6)
David Miller69 (48b 5x4 2x6)
Jake Ball 10-0-81-0
Mark Wood 9-0-44-0
48.6
Ball to Morris, no run

full, swings across the line, an appeal for lbw as he scuttles through to the keeper...inside edge

48.5
1lb
Ball to Miller, 1 leg bye

fuller, swings across the line, takes the back leg and deflects towards backward point and, in fact, England are reviewing for the lbw. High on the back leg, heading leg side. Going over leg stump

48.4
1
Ball to Morris, 1 run

another short ball, Morris takes his eyes of it but manages to pull to long leg

South Africa have done the hardwork now. Viv: "Taking the wicket of Fudge is indeed hurting England now. "

48.3
1
Ball to Miller, 1 run

keeps it short, pulled to deep midwicket

48.2
4
Ball to Miller, FOUR runs

goes shorter and that's rifled square through the off side with thunderous power...magnificent striking from Miller

48.1
6
Ball to Miller, SIX runs

that's into the crowd as well, a clean strike through a full delivery which goes straight down the ground and South Africa motoring

end of over 4813 runs
SA: 311/5CRR: 6.47 RRR: 10.00
Chris Morris33 (17b 3x4 2x6)
David Miller58 (44b 4x4 1x6)
Mark Wood 9-0-44-0
Jake Ball 9-0-69-0
47.6
6
Wood to Morris, SIX runs

that's huge! Swings it back South Africa's way. Poor ball, went length, Morris just stood there and heaved it over wide long-on. Wood knows he got that one wrong

47.5
Wood to Morris, no run

charges down the pitch, Wood goes short (and fast) again, Morris can't make contact as he swings across the line

47.4
Wood to Morris, no run

good comeback by Wood, a yorker outside off stump and Morris drives over the top of it

47.3
4
Wood to Morris, FOUR runs

there's a boundary, again it's short from Wood and it flies off the top edge as Morris hooks...did him for pace, really, but South Africa won't care

47.2
1
Wood to Miller, 1 run

he's crunched that, a short ball, but straight to Stokes at deep midwicket

47.1
2lb
Wood to Miller, 2 leg byes

round the wicket, Miller moving miles outside leg, follows him and it takes the thigh pad behind square...Miller gambles on the second. Better throw from Buttler would have been tight

Back to Mark Wood

end of over 479 runs
SA: 298/5CRR: 6.34 RRR: 11.00
Chris Morris23 (13b 2x4 1x6)
David Miller57 (42b 4x4 1x6)
Jake Ball 9-0-69-0
Liam Plunkett 10-0-64-3
46.6
Ball to Morris, no run

a short ball, and a dot ball, angled over leg side, Morris can't make contact with his pull

46.5
2
Ball to Morris, 2 runs

another low full toss, flicked over the leg side, between deep square and deep midwicket

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