With the ODI series coming to an end, England and South Africa will embark on a T20I series which is set to begin on July 27. Their ODI series ended in a stalemate as the decider was washed out on Sunday (July 24). The South African bowlers performed really well in the first game and changed the course of the game in the nick of time, but the hosts bounced back stronger to win the second game.

The Keshav Maharaj-led Proteas won the first game by 62 runs as England failed to chase the 334-run target. In the second game, England emerged victorious and registered a thumping 118-run win. South Africa looked in good touch in the final match as top-order batter Quinton de Kock neared his century, but rain played a spoilsport and washed the match out.

The South African top-order has been commendable in the tour so far, whereas the English batting order has been dependent upon a couple of players. On the other hand, the bowling units of both sides have shown sheer class and will be something to look out for once again. The two teams will now face each other in three T20Is followed by as many Test matches, starting in August and lasting till September.

Here’s all you need to know about the series:

South Africa tour of England, T20Is

England Squad

Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Richard Gleeson, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, David Willey.

South Africa Squad

David Miller (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell

South Africa tour of England T20Is, Schedule

Broadcast Details

TV- Sony Sports Network

Streaming- SonyLiv

England’s hopes of recording a maiden series triumph under new white-ball skipper Jos Buttler were dashed on Sunday as the ODI series decider between the hosts and South Africa was washed out after just two hours of play at Headingley. The two sides finished the three-match ODI series on level terms and will have to do it all over again in the three-match T20I series commencing on 27th July, Wednesday.

England have suffered back-to-back series defeats ever since Jos Buttler took over the reins from Eoin Morgan after the latter bid farewell to international cricket in June. Ben Stokes won’t be available for the hosts as he had requested a rest from the series, a telling blow for the English camp. 

South Africa, on the other hand, will welcome their bowling spearhead, Kagiso Rabada, back into the squad, and will be led by veteran batter David Miller in the absence of Temba Bavuma. Quinton de Kock looked in phenomenal touch in the final ODI and stroked his way to 92* off just 76 deliveries before the match was called off due to persistent rain. The visitors will be buoyed by his return to form as the southpaw will be crucial for their chances in the T20I series.

England lost their last T20I series against India 2-1 after being comprehensively beaten in the first two T20Is. Meanwhile, South Africa’s latest assignment in the format also came against India in a five-match series which finished on level terms after the fifth match was washed out.

When and where to watch the England vs South Africa T20I matches in India?

The T20I series opener between the two heavyweights will be hosted by the County Ground in Bristol on the 27th of July, and the following match will take place at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff the very next day with both matches commencing at 11 PM IST. The series will culminate with the final T20I being held at The Rose Bowl in Southampton in a 7 PM kickoff on the 31st of July. The matches will be broadcast by the Sony Sports Network and can be streamed online on the Sony LIV app.

South Africa’s tour of England

England squad: Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Richard Gleeson, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, David Willey.

South Africa squad: David Miller (C), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Rilee Rossouw, Rassie van der Dussen, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Gerald Coetzee.

South African wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock has come forward and said that it is becoming extremely difficult for leading cricketers to make themselves constantly available across formats in international cricket. De Kock is now only making himself available for selection in the Proteas white-ball setup.

The sudden decision of England all-rounder Ben Stokes to retire from ODI cricket is indeed alarming and it has forced all the modern-day multi-format cricketers to be a bit cautioned. Stokes, who was a flag-bearer of England’s run chase in the 2019 World Cup final, bid adieu to the 50-overs format citing workload concerns and his inability of performing consistently.

Players need to make decisions individually: Quinton de Kock

“It’s going to start being tough for players – three formats is a lot and it looks like more games are happening over the calendar,” said Quinton de Kock while speaking to reporters after the Leeds ODI was washed out due to rain.

“Players need to make decisions individually and if they feel they can do it (play Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 internationals), I am happy for them,” the 29-year-old added. “But guys need to take decisions into their own hands. For me, I am happy where I am,” the stumper added.

Quinton de Kock also decided to sacrifice his Test career just before the birth of his first child. The southpaw made this tough decision after the conclusion of the Centurion Test match against India in December last year.

In the 54 Tests that he played, De Kock managed 3300 runs averaging 38.82 and a strike rate of 70.94 including six centuries and 22 half-centuries. Thus, in order to prolong his white-ball career and in order to devote time to his family, the opener decided to bid adieu to the longest format.

Meanwhile, Quinton de Kock scored an unbeaten 92 in the series-deciding third ODI against England at Leeds on Sunday, July 24. The South African scorecard read 159/2 in the 28th over before the match was forced to be abandoned due to rain. The series was leveled at 1-1.

After winning the second ODI by a comfortable margin and leveling the series, England will now take on the visitors South Africa in the third and final ODI match, to be played at Headingley, Leeds on July 24 (Sunday). Both top teams will be looking to put on a competitive show and win the final match to bag the series.

Despite winning the second ODI, the Three Lions have a lot to think about as they failed to bat their allotted 29 overs during the second ODI fixture. South Africa, on the other hand, also performed miserably with the bat as they failed to even cross the 100-run mark.

ENG vs SA Match details

Venue: Headingley, Leeds

Date and Time: July 24, 2022, 3:30 PM IST

Broadcast: Sony Sports Network for television and SonyLiv for live streaming

ENG vs SA Pitch Report

The wicket at Headingley is usually good for batting and both teams will be looking to make the most of it. As a result, another high-scoring encounter can be expected during the third ODI. Skipper winning the toss might want to have a bowl first and try to chase the target later on.

ENG vs SA, 3rd ODI Probable Playing XI

England:

Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Philip Salt, Joe Root, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, David Willey, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley

South Africa:

Janneman Malan, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj (c), Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi

ENG vs SA Probable Top Performers

Probable best batter of the 3rd ODI match

Quinton de Kock:

Opening batter Quinton de Kock had a decent outing in the first encounter but he failed to score runs in the second. The left-handed batter will want to have a good outing during the third match of the series and give a match-winning contribution to his team.

Probable best bowler of the 3rd ODI match

Reece Topley:

Left-arm pacer Reece Topley is in good form. The left-arm seamer scalped two wickets in the previous game and was also amongst the wickets during the first ODI. He will be looking to have another good outing in the final match.

Today’s Match Prediction: Chasing team to win the match

Also Check: Dream11 Team Prediction for ENG vs SA

Disclaimer: This prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.

England trounced South Africa by 118 runs in the second ODI in a rain-curtailed affair in Manchester and drew level in the three-match series. The series finale between the two sides will be staged at Headingley in Leeds on Sunday, 24th of July.

English batters stayed true to their tactics of being aggressive from the get-go in white ball cricket and were staring down the barrel after losing their top five batters on the score of 72 after the match was reduced to 29 overs per side. And they were bowled out for 201 after some adept batting by the lower-order batters.

At the halfway mark, the visitors must have been proud of their bowling effort and would have been confident of chasing the total to clinch the series. But the English bowlers took just 23 deliveries to wreck that dream as South Africa lost their top order for just six runs and the match was a mere formality as the Proteas succumbed to an embarrassingly low total of 83 runs.

The final ODI will be an enthralling encounter as England seem to have found their mojo back. They will be eyeing their first series victory under Jos Buttler‘s leadership.

Pitch and conditions

The surface at Headingley offers variable bounce and assists the seam bowlers to great extent in overcast conditions. The team winning the toss on the previous two occasions have opted to bowl, a trend which might not continue as chasing a decent target on this pitch can be a tad tricky.

Playing Combinations for ENG vs SA

England

The hosts were rescued in the second ODI by their all-rounders, who came up with handy scores with the bat to take England to a respectable total. The English camp is sticking with their all-out attack approach at the top of the order, which hasn’t been fruitful so far under Jos Buttler’s stint.

Predicted XI: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Philip Salt, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, David Willey, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley

South Africa

Keshav Maharaj’s bowlers were on the money once again in the series, but the batters let them down. With the series up for grabs, South Africa are unlikely to tinker the combination for the final ODI.

Predicted XI: Quinton de Kock (wk), Janneman Malan, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Dwaine Pretorius, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj (c), Tabraiz Shamsi

ENG vs SA Head to Head

Played- 65 | England- 29 | South Africa- 31 | No Result – 4 | Tied – 1 |

ENG vs SA Broadcast Details

Match Timings- 3:30 PM IST

Broadcast Details

 Sony SIX and Sony LIV app (live streaming)

England and South Africa will be locking horns in the second ODI at Old Trafford in Manchester on Friday, July 22. The Proteas would be hoping to seal the three-match series with yet another win under their belt. In fact, they will be heading into this contest, having won the series opener in Durham by an emphatic 62 runs.

It was courtesy of Rassie van der Dussen’s brilliant century and an impressive four-wicket haul from seasoned pacer Anrich Nortje that made it possible for the visitors to go 1-0 up in the series. England, on the other hand, need a win to keep the series alive. They lost the plot in the previous game despite openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow laying a solid foundation with a 102-run opening stand.

England’s hopes were alive until Joe Root was out in the middle, who scored 86 runs from 77 deliveries at a strike rate of 111.7. However, once he was dismissed, the hosts completely lost their plot and suffered a humiliating defeat.

ENG vs SA Match details

Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester

Date and Time: July 22, 2022, 5:30 PM IST

Broadcast: Sony Sports Network for television and SonyLiv for live streaming

ENG vs SA Pitch Report

The third ODI between England and India last week saw the Men in Blue successfully chase down 260 with less than eight overs to spare. However, after South Africa beat England in the first game while defending the target, both teams would be looking to play to their strengths instead of relying on the conditions. With the Old Trafford wicket expected to offer plenty of pace and bounce, the par score could be well over 300 on this surface which is a tough one to chase. Therefore, the captain winning the toss will be batting first.

England vs South Africa, 2nd ODI Probable Playing XI

England:

Today’s Match Prediction: South Africa to win the match.

Click here to make your Best Dream11 Team for ENG vs SA

Disclaimer: This prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.

England’s turbulent start under newly appointed white-ball skipper Jos Buttler continued as they lost the series opener against visitors South Africa after a disappointing outing in Durham on the 19th of July, Tuesday in Ben Stokes’s farewell game in ODI cricket.

South Africa were superior in all departments of the game and performed diligently under stand-in skipper Keshav Maharaj. Rassie van der Dussen continued his phenomenal run in ODI cricket and registered a magnificent ton in front of Stokes’ home crowd that had gathered to commemorate his final hoorah in the format. 

The hosts will be hoping to end the sequence of disappointing performances in white-ball cricket, in the do-or-die second match in Manchester on Friday, the 22nd of July. The good news for Buttler is that the opening batters, who struggled for runs in the previous series against India, showed signs of a return to form in the first ODI, while Joe Root also looked at his fluent best in the series opener.

Pitch and conditions

The previous encounter at Old Trafford showed that batting in the second innings gets much easier in comparison to the first innings. The dimensions of the field will favour the batters more, unlike in Durham. The team winning the toss will likely opt to bowl first as the new ball will move a bit in the early part of the match.

Playing Combinations for ENG vs SA

England

For the first time in almost a decade, England won’t be able to call up Ben Stokes to bail them out in tough situations. Buttler’s men will walk out at Old Trafford determined to end their agony in white-ball cricket. Philip Salt is most likely to come into the team to replace the retired Stokes.

Predicted Playing XI: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Philip Salt, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Reece Topley

South Africa

On the other hand, South Africa have been forced to make a change in their team for the second ODI as Andile Phehlukwayo has been ruled out of the ODI series following his collision in the series opener. Dwaine Pretorius, who was the concussion substitute in the first ODI, will be drafted into the playing XI.

Predicted Playing XI: Quinton de Kock (wk), Janneman Malan, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Dwaine Pretorius, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj (c), Tabraiz Shamsi

ENG vs SA Head to Head

Played- 64 | England- 28 | South Africa- 31 | No Result – 4 | Tied – 1 |

ENG vs SA Broadcast Details

Match Timings-  5:30 PM IST

Broadcast Details

 Sony SIX and Sony LIV app (live streaming)

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has confirmed that star all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo won’t be taking any further part in the remaining two ODIs against host England. The Protean was subbed off the field after sustaining a concussion following his collision with skipper Keshav Maharaj on Tuesday.

The incident took place when Keshav Maharaj and Andile Phehlukwayo went for the same ball during England’s chase, and the latter was seen with bruised chin after coming together with his skipper’s shoulder. The 26-year-old was replaced by Dwaine Pretorius under ICC’s protocols for concussion substitutions. He was under observation after coming off the field.

The visitors’ team doctor Dr. Hashendra Ramjee shed light on his situation and revealed that he has shown signs of improvement, which is encouraging for the Protean team, and will continue on the road to recovery after the commencement of his rehabilitation program. Although he won’t be part of the team for the second and third ODIs, he might be able to feature for South Africa in the T20I series following the remaining two ODIs.

“Following his concussion, Andile has been monitored closely and has shown signs of improvement. He will now commence his concussion return to play rehabilitation program,” Ramjee said in an official statement by the CSA.

South Africa impressed with their all-round clinical performance in the series opener

Keshav Maharaj’s side produced a clinical performance in the first ODI on the 19th of July, Tuesday and completed a comprehensive victory by 62 runs against the hosts. The veteran spinner leading the Proteas in the absence of regular skipper Temba Bavuma, made some smart decisions in the first ODI, especially his decision to bat first on a record-breaking humid day, as the pitch slowed down in the second innings and run scoring was considerably difficult.

After Rassie van der Dussen’s phenomenal century in the scorching heat in Durham, the South African bowlers bowled intelligently, making full use of the dimensions of the outfield as the English batters struggled for fluency on a pitch with indeterminate bounce. In pursuit of the visitors’ 333, England were in the match until Anrich Nortje came in to break all hopes of an unlikely victory with three wickets in one over, including Joe Root’s.

South Africa batter Rassie van der Dussen has attained a career-best third position in the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings after his superb century in the first ODI against England at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday. The 33-year-old has gained three slots after smashing 134 off 117 balls against England, for which he was named Player of the Match. Van der Dussen has also been in the top five in T20Is, ranked fourth in June last year.

Aiden Markram, who also played an important part in the 62-run win for South Africa, has moved up 15 slots to 61st after his knock of 77 while opener Janneman Malan is up one place to joint-35th with a score of 57. David Miller’s 24 runs see him move up three places to 24th. Fast bowler Anrich Nortje has reached 61st position, his haul of four for 53 lifting him 18 slots.

For England, Jason Roy has moved up one slot to 16th position among batters after scoring 43 against South Africa and 41 in the last match of the series against India. His team-mate David Willey has moved up two slots to 35th among bowlers.

India’s architects of an impressive five-wicket win in Manchester that helped clinch the series against England, have surged up the rankings too. Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 125 off 113 balls has lifted him 25 places to 52nd while Hardik Pandya has progressed from 50th to 42nd after his 55-ball 71.

Pandya is also up 25 places to 70th among bowlers for his haul of four 24 while leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has advanced four places to reach 16th position after grabbing three for 60.

Others to move up the ODI rankings for batters this week include Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal (up two places to 17th) and Liton Das (up two places to 30th), West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran (up four places to joint-35th), Scotland’s Calum MacLeod (up three places to 48th) and Namibia’s Gerhard Erasmus (up 21 places to 86th).

The list of bowlers sees Jasprit Bumrah cede top place to New Zealand’s Trent Boult after missing the last match, while Matt Henry has moved up one place to seventh. West Indies fast bowler Alazarri Joseph (up three places to 18th), New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner (up two places to 23rd), Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane (up six places to 33rd) and Scotland seamer Safyaan Sharif (up four places to 56th) are others to progress.

T20I Player rankings also updated

In the ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings, New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips has advanced five places to reach 30th position after his Player of the Match effort of 69 not out in the first match of their series against Ireland while fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has progressed 25 slots to 40th with a haul of four for 14.

England’s white-ball skipper Jos Buttler has opined that Ben Stokes’s shocking retirement call from 50-over cricket should be a “wake-up call” for those running the game. The left-handed batter played his last 50-over match on July 19, against South Africa.

Stokes could not do much in his final ODI as he was dismissed after scoring just five runs and was expensive with the ball as he bowled five overs and gave away 44 runs for no wickets as the Three Lions lost the match by 62 runs.

There’s a bit of sadness that Ben is no longer available in ODIs: Jos Buttler

“It should definitely be a bit of a wake-up call. Absolutely. Especially with the magnitude of the player. Ben’s one of the most recognizable players in world cricket, someone everyone wants to see play in every format. I’m sure there’s more to it than the schedules etc. but I think in international cricket you always want your best players playing if possible,” Buttler said after Stokes played his final ODI on Tuesday.

“It’s bittersweet as an England fan. There’s a bit of sadness that Ben is no longer available in this form of the game. But our loss in ODI cricket is certainly going to be England’s gain in Test cricket. That’s his favoured format and his priority, especially now he’s captain, and I’m sure it will give him much more longevity in the purest form of the game,” Butter added.

Earlier Stokes had stated that he is not being able to contribute to ODI cricket and someone else should take his spot. Talking about Stokes’ numbers in ODI cricket, the left-handed batter played 105 matches and scored 2924 runs at an average of almost 40 and also picked 74 wickets.

“We are not cars. You can’t just fill us up and we’ll go out there and be ready to be fuelled up again. We had a Test series and then the one-day team had a series going on at the same time – that was a bit silly,” Stokes had said on BBC’s Test Match Special.