Roy dropped on 0published at 0.4 overs

0.4 overs

Eng 0-0

A cautious opening from Jason Roy - and he nearly perishes without scoring when the fourth ball of the innings is poked back to Kyle Abbott and he's dropped attempting to take a return catch to his left. Sometimes they stick, sometimes they don't.

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"I think the total is competitive and any side can win. England should be careful - if they go at this in a silly, hectic way it won't be as straightforward as it looks."

Thanks, Jamie. England's failure to bowl their overs in the allotted time (even after sending down 20 overs of spin) has meant a shortened interval - Kyle Abbott is marking our his run-up, and England have sent out their regular openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales. Let's play.

I think England will be happy enough chasing 263 at little more than 5.2 per over though Villan. The highest score to win at PE is 330 by Australia in 2002. 

How will England's attacking batting line-up approach this rather modest, by today's standards, target? How difficult is the pitch to bat on? Will there be a barrage of early boundaries to put the South Africans on the Rocks? (come on Bognor lads this afternoon by the way in the FA Trophy, you can do it).

Here's Mark Mitchener to describe it all for you.

Villan UK: You have to ask Morgan why our two best bowlers didn't use all their overs?  

Sean Bennett: SA feel about 20/30 short...if England take care in the first 25 overs this should be easy. 

Image source, AFP

James Pearce: Reece Topley is more tattoo than man.

Macca: Another timely reminder from Rashid that he should be in the Test team.

Kieron Bird: So pleased to see Reece Topley bowling well. Bodes well for the future of this one-day team.

England's last ODI at PE in 2009 saw a seven-wicket victory when a young man by the name of James Anderson took 5-23 to bowl the South Africans out for 119. But the only other victory in five previous games here came against Namibia in the 2003 World Cup.

The last two ODIs at Port Elizabeth have produced fantastic finishes, by one run and one wicket. Of the 35 completed matches, 19 have been won by the side batting first to 16 of the chasing team.

England off-spinner Moeen Ali speaking to Sky Sports:

"It's not an easy pitch but I think we bowled well there.

"We are expecting a good bowling attack today and will have to play well to win this.

"I think we are going to have to play as normally as we can, we have a long batting line- up but hopefully we wont have to use that today."

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"If wickets are lost early on, England may have to be a bit more cagey than before, but England were good in the field, the bowling was pretty disciplined, the ball only occasionally moved off the pitch. De Villiers was going to bide his time, they didn't take too many big risks as they know this pitch well and know you don't need 300 to win the game here."

South Africa 262-7 (50 overs) - won toss

Not out: Behardien 23, Abbott 7.

Fall of wickets: 4-1 (Amla 4), 53-2 (De Kock 22), 98-3 (Du Plessis 46), 205-4 (De Villiers 73), 206-5 (Duminy 47), 225-6 (Rossouw 11), 245-7 (Rabada 12).

Bowling figures: Topley 9-1-50-4, Willey 7-2-33-0, Stokes 9-0-54-2, Rashid 10-0-43-1, Moeen 10-1-41-0, Jordan 5-0-33-0.

Last 10 overs: 64 runs, four wickets

Full scorecard

Well the fireworks never arrived did they? Maybe this pitch is not conducive to strokeplay as at Bloemfontein the other day but England look very happy with that as they walk off. Just one wide blots an excellent final over from Topley, who finishes with 4-50 from nine overs. South Africa were 205-3 in the 41st over when Jordan took that spectacular catch to dismiss De Villiers. Key moment? we shall see. 

Behardien backs away and hits Stokes over cover for only the 19th four of the innings. England's 399 the other day contained 38, plus 15 sixes. Stokes finishes with 2-54 from nine overs.