SOUTH AFRICA TOUR OF ENGLAND, 2025
South Africa went 1-0 up in the T20I series. © Getty
On a rain-marred evening in Cardiff, South Africa came out on top by 14 runs courtesy of the DLS method. The game was initially delayed by two hours before the hosts won the toss and elected to bowl, in what was supposed to be a nine-over contest. Dewald Brevis, Aiden Markram and Donovan Ferreira lit up the Cardiff sky before their bowlers defended a DLS-adjusted target of 69 from five overs with ease.
In just the second ball of the game, Luke Wood bowled a beautiful line to send Ryan Rickelton back for a golden duck. The left-arm seamer sturck in his second over as well with Lhuan-dre Pretorius miscuing one to the mid-off fielder. However, during this time Markram was looking at his fiery best. He hit all his boundaries during his 14-ball 28 in the ‘V’ to get South Africa’s innings racing while his partners fell at the other end.
Markram got a reprieve on 24 but he couldn’t make it count as the ever impressive Adil Rashid rushed him into a pull which was gobbled by Wood. Brevis immediately showed why he was so sought after in the SA20 auction with consecutive sixes off Liam Dawson down the ground. Brevis added his third six – this time off Rashid – before Ferreira hit two more to make it a 20-run sixth over. Brevis fell but the onslaught continued as Tristan Stubbs came out and bludgeoned a boundary off his first ball. He added a maximum before losing his off-stump to Jamie Overton. Ferreira clobbered his third six on the night before the rain came lashing down again with the visitors on 97 for 5 in 7.5 overs.
The game restarted 50 minutes later with England requiring 69 from 5 overs. But the hosts got off to the worst possible start when Kagiso Rabada got Phil Salt first ball. Jos Buttler was the only shining light in England’s innings and he began with intent hitting a four and a six off the speedster. Jacob Bethell cracked a pull to the stands before perishing next ball. Harry Brook fell for a four-ball duck as England continued to falter. Buttler hit his third six with a pull over cow corner before nicking one behind to all but seal the game.
With England requiring 26 runs in the last over, Sam Curran smashed a six but Corbin Bosch had already cleaned up Tom Banton for a run-a-ball five by then. Bosch conceded only five runs in his last four balls as the visitors took a 1-0 lead.
Brief Scores: South Africa 97/5 in 7.5 overs (Aiden Markram 28, Donovan Ferreira 25*; Luke Wood 2-22, Adil Rashid 1-24) beat England 54/5 in 5 overs (Jos Buttler 25, Sam Curran 10*; Marco Jansen 2-18, Corbin Bosch 2-20) by 14 runs (DLS Method)
© Cricbuzz
