I thought we’d won it. I really did. When South Africa were reduced to 210-8 I wrongly assumed that the game, and therefore series, were in the bag. And then Chris Morris finally proved why IPL teams pay so much money for his services. He stole the game away from England with a flurry of mighty blows that left our players completely crushed. I take my hat off to the bloke.
Now the dust has settled, however, I think South Africa’s thrilling one wicket win was probably a fair result. England did not play well. The fact that the Proteas almost screwed up what should’ve been a simple run chase shouldn’t disguise that uncomfortable truth. From the moment our middle-order was blown away by Imran Tahir and Kyle Abbott – yet another reality check I’m afraid – we were up against it. Only Joe Root’s classy 109 and late cameos from Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid dragged the score up to respectability.
Even after posting a rather modest 262, we still had enough chances to win. Unfortunately however our fielding was below the normal standards. When Rashid dropped Chris Morris before he was set – a somewhat tricky chance but one he’d probably take eight times out of ten – he effectively dropped the match. Our bowlers also showed worrying fragility in the face of Morris’ onslaught.
I rarely criticise Eoin Morgan but he also dropped the ball yesterday. His captaincy when the pressure was on left a lot to be desired. After Morris had hit a couple of sixes, and the run rate was no longer an issue, the skipper should’ve attacked. Taking wickets was the only way England were going to win at that point. Unfortunately however, Morgan’s mind seemed scrambled. I can understand keeping the field back for Morris, but he should’ve put in a couple of slips immediately when Abbott came on strike. He failed to do so.
Unfortunately I felt as though Morgan let the game drift away. The seamers weren’t doing the job so he should’ve turned to Adil Rashid, who must have been smarting after dropping that catch, a lot sooner. When South Africa needed just one to win, Rashid (who is probably our best wicket taker) had only bowled six overs. When Morgan belatedly threw him the ball, he dismissed Morris with his very first delivery. What a shame that the game was already up. Hmmmm.
So now we all move on to Newlands for the decider. If England win it will be the first time South Africa have lost both the test and ODIs series at home for fourteen years. There will be pats on the back all round. However, if England lose their third game in a row, questions will be asked. I can’t help the feeling that we started to believe our own hype a little prematurely. How’s that 5-0 looking now Mr Topley?
Perhaps I’m being a little too downbeat though. This has been a really entertaining series – the skills developed in T20 have really breathed new life into the tired 50 over format – and England have certainly played their part. Yesterday’s game was a brilliant spectacle and it’s great to see cricket in such rude health and doing its bit for charity too.
James Morgan
Slips sooner? Not really, nothing went in that direction if I remember at the end.
Yes Morgan should have used Rashid sooner but Broad was dire as well. He just bowls that length that good batsmen like when hitting sixes. He lacks variation and thought under pressure. What happened to his slower ball bouncer he could bowl. Didn’t see that at the end.
As you said the dropped catch was crucial as was Broad getting himself out early with a couple more overs to go.
Is it a case of once again England switching off when thinking the series is in the bag?
Fully agree on the captaincy, one day cricket rarely winds me up but it did yesterday.
The ball flies at the Wanderers and he had everybody on the boundary, Morris just cleared them at will. The bowling looked poor but they had no support and no fields to bowl too.
Rashid should have bowled with about 30 needed to a test match field, the only way we could win was to take 2 wickets. Wicket taking leg spinners are goldust, we have got one. At least give him a chance to win us the game.
I think Rashid would’ve been the most likely to cause a mistake from Morris too. He was smashing everything in a premeditated way. Perhaps Rashid’s variations might have foxed him and made him sky one. I guess we’ll never know.
I have to agree. And Rashid seems to be one of those (relatively few) bowlers who doesn’t get particularly phased by getting carted around the ground.
I think as a spinner, especially in short format cricket, getting smacked around is part of the job description. Then again, in my cricketing dotage over the last few years as a midweek Last Mans Stander, that is what I have to keep telling myself as my buffet selection disappears all too frequently over the boundary.
I think that his stint at the Big Bash has done his confidence a world of good and I will give the England management a modicum of credit for letting him go there. But then again as they weren’t going to select him for the SA test series it would be overegging the pudding to give them too much.
Onto this match, after a decentish first 10 overs for England, things have gone a bit pearshaped with Root and Morgan going.
A bit pearshaped ?
:-)
I was just going to say “less brains than a porkpie”, but Sir Geoffrey has beaten me to it.
And our best one day batter has score one run in three innings.
well we have just lost the series and Morgan has trotted out the same mantra “we are a young team and we are still learning”
When are you going to stop bloody learning? That is what I want to know.
Morgan is quite old enough to have learned not to play the absurd shot he did, though. And at a moment at which undue risk wasn’t called for.
“Possibly the worst shot I’ve ever seen on a cricket field” according to one BBC commentator…
Well done to the West Indies on winning the U19 WC.
There’s a terrific article on cricinfo from Tony Cozier about where cricket stands in the Caribbean.
Great innings by ABDV. Who on the English team could have done it?