The Proteas will be desperate to turn things around against England when the ODI series gets underway at Newlands on Friday 4 December.
Image Copyright – Steve Haag Sports
England obliterated the rusty Proteas in the T20I series although there were some encouraging signs for the home team.
South Africa vs England | Friday 4 December 2020 | Newlands, Cape Town | 13:00
To Win Match
South Africa 31/20
Tie 25/1
England 52/100
South Africa
The Proteas have struggled for overall fluency so far this summer, which doesn’t come as a great surprise considering their preparation but the South African cricket-loving public are notoriously impatient with a losing team.
South Africa face some interesting choices as far as their spin options with four left-arm tweakers in the squad. Tabraiz Shamsi must prove he can replicate his form over four overs across a full ten. George Linde brings more with the bat than any of the others while Keshav Maharaj was in great form in domestic fifty-over cricket earlier this year.
Rassie van der Dussen played a much-improved knock against England in the third T20I while Faf du Plessis looks to be still the most reliable source of runs for the team.
There are plenty of options among the quicks, but the Proteas will have to do without Kagiso Rabada which could allow England’s top-order to dominate from the off.
Importantly this match should provide the Proteas with much-needed time in the middle.
This will also be the first series the Proteas play in the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League and begins the journey to the 2023 World Cup.
England
Buoyed by success in the T20Is England will want to keep their proverbial foot on the Proteas throat while the series will see them rest some key players.
There are opportunities in the top-order for the likes of Lewis Gregory and Liam Livingstone while key allrounders Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes are afforded a break.
Test skipper Joe Root returns to the white-ball team and should be keen to prove he can add value in the shorter formats for England, while there are some questions about how long Eoin Morgan will go on as captain of the limited-overs teams.
Reece Topley returns to the England setup over four-years after his last appearance on foreign soil which was incidentally at Newlands against South Africa.
England have phenomenal top-order strength in white-ball cricket, but they need to get the balance of their bowling lineup right to ensure the Proteas aren’t given a look-in.
Verdict: England 52/100
England should have the quality to pick up a series-opening win.
Written by James Richardson.
