Get Involvedpublished at 18:30 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2023
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Cricketnut: Sam Curran to bring this home, these are the moments he thrives on.
Opening ODI in three-match series
Nortje and Rabada remove Willey and Curran to leave England eight down
Moeen holes out to deep square leg for 11, before Buttler (36) nicks behind
Roy hits first century in 14 international innings, before holing out for 113
Malan 58, Duckett 3 and Brook 0
South Africa make 298-7 with Van der Dussen hitting 111
Archer bowls 10 overs on return after 678-day absence and takes 1-81
Curran pick of the bowlers with 3-35
Sam Drury
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Cricketnut: Sam Curran to bring this home, these are the moments he thrives on.
Target 299
Adil Rashid comes in and is off the mark straightaway with a single to deep third.
England have 11 overs to score 48 runs, that should be no problem at all. The seven wickets down are the problem and South Africa are going to use their big guns to try and get the last three.
Here comes Kagiso Rabada...
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James Gulleford: Sorry but one word describes all but 2 of the wickets England have lost: abysmal! Stop giving your wicket away when the team only needs less than 5 an over!
Willey c Miller b Nortje 8 (Eng 250-7)
Straight up, Nortje has another and England are seven down.
The fast bouncer goes short again, Willey tries to flat-bat it over the top but the ball gets big on him and he skies it.
David Miller gets underneath it and South Africa are suddenly in the driving seat.
Target 299
What a shot to finish the over from David Willey. He looks to be cramped for room by Magala but the left-hander flicks his wrists and whips the ball away behind square for four more!
Great over for England, 15 from it and they need another 50 to win.
Target 299
Now it's David Willey's turn. Width from Magala and Willey drives powerfully through the covers for four.
If South Africa needed a reminder that they've still got work to do then Curran and Willey have provided it in the space of three deliveries.
Need another 59 runs to win
Smashed over long off for six! Clean, clean hitting from Sam Curran.
It's off Magala as well, who has been the pick of the South Africa bowlers. Beautiful shot.
Target 299
It's two left-handers at the crease now for England as David Willey comes out to join Sam Curran.
Still so much time for England, the runs really shouldn't be an issue. The wickets are another matter entirely.
Buttler c De Kock b Nortje 36 (Eng 234-6)
Huge wicket for South Africa!
Anrich Nortje comes back and ousts the England captain with a super delivery. Back of a length, nips away a fraction, Jos Buttler fiddles at it and feathers behind.
England need another 65, South Africa need four wickets.
Target 299
Magala goes for just two from his seventh. He's playing just his fourth ODI and he's been fantastic.
Without him, England might already be home and hosed.
Target 299
A relatively quiet over as England score six risk-free runs from Parnell's latest.
That is more than good enough from here. South Africa need wickets.
Buttler 32, Curran 2
Seven from the over for England but another wicket down. South Africa just keep chipping away.
Sam Curran is the new batter, he joins Jos Buttler, who surely holds the key to this chase now.
Moeen c Van der Dussen b Magala 11 (Eng 222-5)
Oh dear. The previous ball was clubbed over mid-wicket for four, Moeen Ali goes again but this time he holes out.
It was clever bowling by Sisanda Magala. He went short again but took a bit of pace off it and Moeen picked out Rassie van der Dussen a couple of yards in from the rope.
Game on once more!
Eng 217-4
Not out. Buttler is rapid and was home by a few inches.
I don't know what you were all so worried about...
Eng 217-4
Big moment - has Jos Buttler been run out by a direct hit? It's tight.
Buttler 30, Moeen 6
Lucky escape for Moeen Ali!
Not because he was nearly out - he was comfortably home going through for a quick single. However, Temba Bavuma's throw from mid-off was wayward and Moeen did well to avoid getting taken out by it!
Four from Parnell's over, the require rate is still under five for England.
Target 299
Good over again from Rabada, four from it but he has only got two overs left now.
Wickets hold the key for South Africa. It is hard to see a way that they win the match if England bat their overs.
Target 299
Big let off for Moeen Ali! He tries to uppercut Rababa, doesn't get hold of it and it looks like it should be well within reach of Anrich Nortje at deep third.
However, whether he lost it in the lights or simply didn't react quickly enough, he is nowhere near it when the ball comes back down to earth.
Rabada does not look impressed.
Target 299
Just as Wayne Parnell thought he was going to get out of a good over with juts a couple of runs conceded, Jos Buttler pops the ball back over his head for four.
Not middled by the England skipper but more than enough on it to clear the fielders and trickle into the boundary cushion.
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I find it bizarre that there's still the odd (albeit occasionally jokey) derisory comment about England. They are the best ODI side by quite some way, T20 World Cup holders, and on the up in Tests. Most importantly, they're an absolute delight to watch in all formats.
Gary, Oxford