4 hours ago
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1st over: England 3-0 (Smith 1, Duckett 1) Burger it is, in the green and gold, he bowls “a heavy length” says Stuart Broad – I’m not entirely sure what this means. Smith swings and misses at his second ball, which is given as a wide. He launches at the next, which flies up and just short of Stubbs at deep third man. Duckett is then lucky to survive as he defends a ball which almost wriggles into his stumps.
Good morning Rob (in the Dolomites)!
“Hope the rain eases up soon! In the meantime could you send/post the TMS overseas link for the ODI?”
The rain has eased off and the players are out – but I’ve had a brain fade and can’t remember how to find the TMS link – can any readers please help?
Ali Martin dials in. “ I saw Codi Yusuf bowl for Durham at New Road earlier this summer - a slippery fast-medium who counts Dale Steyn among his admirers.”
Just going to grab a quick coffee, back soon.
Play to start at 11.15am
Stuart Broad speaks to Jacob Bethell, fresh from a tricky summer but a fantastic half century in the last game: “I really enjoyed the opportunity to bat at number four [at Lord’s], not pre-planned, just that they had two left-armed spinners so my job to show some intent.”
Your first summer. “I’ve really enjoyed it, obviously that West Indies series was a white-wash. Even though I didn’t play much in the Test series was great to be around the group. Got a chance in the last Test but couldn’t make the most of it.
“There has been a little bit of noise about how much I’ve played. If I’m honest I should have played slightly more when I wasn’t playing in the Test, but looking ahead there is a lot of cricket so I might be grateful for that.”
An interesting chat between Nick Knight, Shaun Pollock and Mike Atherton. Athers says that England are trying to bring the ODI and Test teams together whilst treating the T20 side as a different entity. That’s sensible on paper, he says, but brings a “real challenge because of the amount and volume of Test cricket England play. They are going to have to be quite strong about where their players play franchise cricket.”
South Africa XI
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Temba Bavuma (capt),Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Wiann Mulder, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Codi Yusuf, Nandre Burger.
England XI
England: Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (capt), Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.
And umbrellas down… but there is a damp sheen on the grass and we will be starting a bit late.
And here comes the rain...
Umbrellas up….
Harry Brook, who looks so slimline and athletic these days, says England will “be aggressive with the bat, and aggressive with the ball.” So no change there. He’d have bowled too.
Team news: For England, Jamie Overton replaces Saqib Mahmood; while South Africa swap out Senuran Muthusamy and Lungi Ngidi and bring in Wiaan Mulder and Durham’s Codi Yusuf for his ODI debut.
South Africa win the toss and will bowl!
“Looks like there is something in the wicket,” he says, “and we will look to take advantage of it.”
But Ali tries to find some light in the fixtures congestion.
Our man in Southampton, Simon Burnton, has landed at the Rosebowl and reports that it is lovely and bright, though “thick clouds lie over yonder hill.”
The two sides’ 50-over prospects seem to be travelling in different directions: South Africa’s first ODI series win in England since 1998 is their second series win in a row as they build towards a home World Cup in 2027. England have now lost five ODI series in the last six. And the schedule continues to pile up.
Preamble
Good morning from an autumnal Manchester where the rain clouds are jostling into position. The Met office is painting a much happier picture down south for this third and final ODI – with symbols of frolicking sunshine and temperatures touching the twenties.
South Africa have already clinched the series after that splattering at Headingley followed by a close-run-thing at Lord’s, and Harry Brook’s England will want to finish with a morale-booster ahead of the T20 series. South Africa, though, have other plans, after their second successive ODI series win.
Play starts at 11am BST, do join us.
