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Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch took two wickets each as South Africa beat England by 14 runs via DLS in a rain-hit T20 at Cardiff, with Donovan Ferreira named Player of the Match.
Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch took two wickets apiece as South Africa beat England by 14 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in a rain-marred first T20 in Cardiff on Wednesday.
The contest, originally scheduled to be a 40-over game, was drastically reduced to just 12.5 overs in total due to persistent rain, leaving both teams with little room for error.
After winning the toss, England put South Africa in to bat. Despite the stop-start conditions, the Proteas made a brisk 97-5 in 7.5 overs.
Captain Aiden Markram led from the front with a rapid 28 off 14 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes, though he was given a reprieve when Phil Salt dropped him in the deep.
The standout performance came from Donovan Ferreira, who smashed three sixes in his unbeaten 25 off 10 balls, earning him the Player of the Match award. Dewald Brevis chipped in with 23, ensuring South Africa posted a competitive score in the truncated innings.
England’s bowlers struggled with the wet ball, though Luke Wood impressed, dismissing opener Ryan Rickelton for a golden duck on his way to figures of 2-22. Notably, England opted not to risk Jofra Archer, who had starred in the final ODI with a four-wicket haul, given the damp conditions.
Chasing a revised target of 69 in five overs under the DLS method, England needed to score at nearly 14 runs per over. The pressure told early, with Phil Salt holing out to Kagiso Rabada on the very first ball of the innings.
Captain Harry Brook also fell for a duck, while Jacob Bethell, fresh from his maiden professional century in the ODI series, managed just 7 before miscuing Marco Jansen to cover.
England’s hopes rested on Jos Buttler, who struck 25, the only batsman to cross 20. But Jansen had him caught behind off the final ball of his second over, effectively ending the chase. England eventually closed on 54-5.
Marco Jansen (2-18) and Corbin Bosch (2-20) were the pick of South Africa’s bowlers, dismantling England’s middle order and keeping the run rate in check.
Post-Match Reactions
Reflecting on the chaotic match, Aiden Markram said:
“It feels like madness, but you can think about things. It was swinging about with the new ball, but you need one or two guys to make a cameo and you can reach a good score.”
Markram also praised his side’s composure, building on their recent 2-1 ODI series win against England.
England skipper Harry Brook downplayed the result, saying:
“We can’t read into that too much. We didn’t execute as well as we could have done.”
The win gave South Africa a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with the second T20 scheduled for Friday at Old Trafford.
(with AFP inputs)
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
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