Quinton de Kock scored a superb half-century and the bowlers rose bravely to the problem of defending a low rating, as South Africa thwarted England's late-over surge to win by seven runs within the T20 World Cup Group 2 Tremendous Eight match at Gros Islet, St Lucia on Friday. England did effectively to limit South Africa to 163/6 regardless of de Kock's 38-ball 65 however fell quick regardless of a valiant comeback from Harry Brook (53) and Liam Livingstone (33). They had been finally bowled out for 156 for six.
Much like South Africa's excellence in executing their plan to cut back the pace of the ball, England too failed to indicate their intent because the defending champions didn’t hit a single boundary between the fifth and twelfth overs.
Brook and Livingstone carried out brilliantly to convey England again into the match, however South Africa stored their composure regardless of making a variety of errors and continued their successful streak on this World Cup.
England had been nonetheless a methods off the goal and wanted 46 to win from the ultimate 4 overs, however Ottneil Bartman, who had been underperforming all through the group stage, bowled a number of full-tosses, resulting in 21 runs within the seventeenth over.
However Kagiso Rabada (2/32) confirmed his superiority and had Livingstone (33 off 17 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) caught at deep backward sq. leg within the 18th over.
Marco Jansen conceded solely seven runs within the remaining over, leaving England needing 14 from the ultimate over, with Anrich Nortje (1/35) dismissing Brooks to make sure victory for the Proteas.
Brook and Livingstone got here collectively within the eleventh over when England wanted 103 runs from 58 balls to win. They added 78 runs from 42 balls, but it surely was not sufficient as England paid a heavy value for his or her poor begin.
Reeza Hendricks deserves all of the reward for pulling a catch out of skinny air, a superb effort diving to his left at further cowl after Phil Salt (11) had gone for a strong shot in opposition to Rabada within the second over.
Attributable to Salt's early dismissal, the England group was neither capable of transfer ahead shortly nor did it make any adjustments to its technique to counter the South African technique.
Jonny Bairstow (17) didn’t make the most of a life dropped by Heinrich Klaasen whereas working from backward sq. leg off Rabada within the third over.
Nevertheless, with the South African bowlers bowling tight, one other alternative got here his means when Keshav Maharaj tempted Bairstow to hit a supply outdoors off-stump and the batsman helped him by hitting a shot within the air. Nortje made use of the chance.
Maharaj then diminished the tempo of a supply to deceive England captain Jos Buttler and hit it straight to deep midwicket, the place Klaasen made no mistake.
Moeen Ali (9) was caught by Maharaj off Bartman to depart England at 61 for 4.
Earlier, South Africa wasted a brilliant begin led by Quinton de Kock (65) as England managed to limit the Proteas to a low rating.
De Kock (68, 4×4, 4×6) made a valiant effort to take the scoring fee to round 10 runs an over for many of the first half, earlier than England hit again with common wickets because of wonderful fielding, the spotlight of their effort.
Other than de Kock's blazing knock, David Miller's 43 off 28 balls (4×4, 2×6) saved South Africa from embarrassment.
From 86 for no loss at one stage, South Africa had been diminished to 113 for 4 by the fifteenth over, shedding their momentum.
Miller held his floor regardless of wickets falling at one finish and his innings finally helped South Africa cross the 150-run mark.
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