Ken Borland

Ian Bell was the main tormentor as England cruised to victory by six wickets with 20 balls to spare in the fourth NatWest One-Day International against South Africa at Lord’s in London on Sunday.

 – http://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/120902/England_cruise_to_victory

England’s batsmen followed up the great work of bowlers Ravi Bopara, James Tredwell and Steven Finn in restricting South Africa to 220 for eight as they breezed to 224 for four in 46.4 overs.

Bell scored a terrific 88 off 137 balls to lead the charge, and it was his second-wicket partnership of 141 in 30.5 overs with Jonathan Trott (48) which laid the platform for the victory, while Craig Kieswetter contributed a little gem of 21 not out off 12 balls at the death.

South Africa’s bowlers, Dale Steyn apart, failed to make much impression on a pitch that always had a bit of nibble in it.

The fired-up Steyn produced a great delivery at the end of the first over to trap Alastair Cook lbw for two, but Bell and Trott ensured there would be no stadium finish.

Trott began his innings in an aggressive frame of mind, but Steyn gave him a torrid time in the seventh over, the last of his opening spell, and struck the batsman a fierce blow on the hand, which made the rest of his innings an exercise in survival more than anything else.

Fortunately for England, Bell was quickly into his stride and the home side were so in control that South African captain AB de Villiers had made eight bowling changes by the halfway mark.

Bell was so assured that he regularly came down the pitch to the pacemen and the off-side was where he scored most impressively en route to collecting eight fours and a six in all.

South African fans were left wondering where Morne Morkel (being rested) was as the attack toiled through 30 overs without making an impression.

A chance to Robin Peterson at mid-on off Lonwabo Tsotsobe on 65, the dismissal of Trott, trapped lbw when he missed a sweep at Dean Elgar, and even a 16-minute rain delay all failed to dampen Bell’s enthusiasm and he looked well on his way to a century.

Ryan McLaren did manage to get Ravi Bopara (6) to edge a delivery through to wicketkeeper De Villiers in the second over after the rain break, but Eoin Morgan came in and quickly helped Bell to take England to the brink of victory.

Steyn did return in the 44th over and forced Bell to edge a lifter to De Villiers, but Morgan, with a run-a-ball 36 not out, and Kieswetter, with three fours and a majestic six to win the game, rushed England to victory.

PERPLEXING BATTING ORDER

A top-class bowling performance by England had earlier restricted South Africa to just 220 for eight.

It was a disappointing batting performance again by South Africa, admittedly on a tricky pitch that was not conducive to fluent strokeplay, but full credit to England’s bowlers who kept the pressure on superbly.

South Africa only reached 220 thanks to Peterson blazing 31 not out off 20 balls at the death, with the middle-order once again wasting the good work of openers Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith up front in putting on 68 for the first wicket after being sent in to bat in conditions that suited seam bowling.

The continued shuffling of the batting order was also perplexing. Elgar should have batted three, where his patient innings would have built on the opening stand, and the busy JP Duminy at six to finish the innings. Wayne Parnell was also batted out of his capabilities at seven again, with all-rounder McLaren mysteriously down at nine.

Having been sent in to bat in overcast conditions in the morning, Amla and Smith were obviously going to start cautiously and they successfully saw off the dangerous pace bowling of Finn, Jimmy Anderson and Jade Dernbach, with the help of a couple of dropped catches in the slips by Tredwell.

The fireworks seemed to have just been lit as South Africa reached 68 after 19 overs, but Dernbach surprised Smith with a fiery short ball that kicked up above his shoulders, the left-hander edging his attempted hook to be caught behind by Kieswetter for 29 off 54 balls.

South Africa were still comfortable however as Amla and Duminy took them to a hundred in the 25th over, but neither of them kicked on.

Bopara, bowling lovely in-swingers off the slope at off-stump, sent Amla packing for 45 off 73 balls when he beat his drive and bowled him through the gate.

In the next over, Duminy was carelessly off down the pitch to spinner James Tredwell, who held the ball back a touch and obtained enough turn to beat a push into the leg side, Kieswetter completing the stumping to dismiss the left-hander for 18 off 22 balls.

Bopara, the very epitome of British military-medium and effective in these conditions, then bowled Faf du Plessis for just a single. Du Plessis tried the almost-impossible – running an in-swinger coming down the slope to third man – and only succeeded in dragging the ball back on to his stumps.

Captain De Villiers was surely the man for the crisis at 115 for four, but his super-powers have waned since all the added responsibility of keeping wicket and being captain has been thrust on him.

De Villiers had promised much in reaching 39 off 46 balls when the Cape-schooled Kieswetter pulled off a sharp stumping after the captain had come down the pitch and tried to drive Tredwell’s straight delivery inside-out over the covers.

Parnell may be a highly effective batsman in village cricket, but he again failed to fire at number seven in the international arena, scoring five off 13 balls before Tredwell beat him with a well-flighted, sharp-turning delivery that gave Kieswetter a third stumping and the England ODI record.

South Africa were 174 for six in the 44th over, but Peterson fought fire with fire and stunned England with some audacious strokes as he collected four fours and a six.

Elgar had been the rock of the innings in scoring 35 off 59 balls, before Kieswetter and Finn combined to remove him off a slower-ball bouncer. Dernbach chipped in by running out McLaren for a single off the next delivery, before Peterson and Dale Steyn (3*) scored five runs off the final over.

England’s bowlers had banded together splendidly. Finn took 1-33 in his 10 overs and was unlucky not to get more reward in the cold early morning conditions.

Bopara was outstanding with 2-34 in nine overs, but spin also plays a key role on this Lord’s pitch, with Tredwell taking 3-35 in eight overs and left-armer Samit Patel bowling tidily as well.

Ian Bell laid the platform as England beat South Africa by six wickets in the fourth NatWest One-Day International at Lord’s on Sunday to seal the number one ranking for the rest of the year.

47th over – Dale Steyn has switched ends but his first ball from the Pavilion End is a nothing delivery, short outside off, and Craig Kieswetter stands tall and swats it through midwicket for four. A wide bouncer and a top-edged four over the wicketkeeper follow, before Kieswetter ends the match in style with a magnificent straight drive for six.

46th over – Ryan McLaren drags a slower ball halfway down the pitch and Eoin Morgan pulls it fine for four. Three balls later, Morgan swats the seamer over mid-on for a one-bounce four and then hooks the last ball of the over, a bouncer, fine for four.

45th over – Wayne Parnell allows Kieswetter to free his arms and he drives majestically through the covers for four.

44th over – WICKET – Bell advances down the pitch at Steyn, who bangs the ball in short. There is good bounce and Bell can only edge his slash at the ball, wicketkeeper AB de Villiers leaping to take a one-handed catch. Bell’s 88 off 137 balls, with eight fours and a six, was a great innings though and should have done enough to win the game for England.

42nd over – Too short from Robin Peterson and Morgan pulls with tremendous power and timing for four.

38th over – Super batting by Morgan as he skips down the pitch and clips McLaren straight down the ground for four.

36th over – WICKET – Ravi Bopara fails again, pushing at a delivery outside off stump from McLaren and sending a low edge to wicketkeeper De Villiers. Bopara is out for six.

35th over – Steyn returns but can only bowl one delivery before a 16-minute rain delay. His second ball after the resumption of play is short and outside off stump and Bopara pulls it to mid-on, where it bounces just before Lonwabo Tsotsobe and zips past him off the wet grass for four runs.

33rd over – Tsotsobe produces a horrible long-hop down the leg side which Bell flicks away disdainfully for four runs.

32nd over – WICKET – Trott tries to sweep left-arm spinner Dean Elgar but the delivery is too full and is struck low on the front pad. Umpire Simon Taufel turns down the lbw appeal, but South Africa call for a review and it shows it’s plumb! Trott goes for a gutsy 48 off 77 balls – most of the innings played with one hand because of the fierce blow he received from Steyn.

31st over – Dropped! Bell, on 65, mistimes a lofted drive at a Tsotsobe slower ball but Peterson at deep mid-on misjudges the catch, is leaping and drops the ball! The next ball is short and Bell hammers a pull through midwicket for four.

29th over – Tsotsobe is back and Bell is down the pitch again and a lovely lofted straight drive brings him four more runs.

25th over – Steyn returns as South Africa desperately need a breakthrough. But their only slip is at about third slip and Bell half-steers/half-edges the ball in the gap between the wicketkeeper and slip for another boundary!

23rd over – The hundred is up off 134 balls as Trott steps outside off stump and flicks McLaren high over midwicket for four.

20th over – A magnificent stroke by Bell as he comes down the pitch and drives Peterson elegantly over extra cover for six.

19th over – Bell hops down the pitch, Parnell drops the ball shorter and is slapped over cover for four.

17th over – Too full and wide from Parnell and Bell drives sumptiously through extra cover for four.

10th over – Bell now comes down the wicket and pulls McLaren powerfully through wide mid-on for four.

9th over – Another commanding stroke by Trott as he comes down the pitch to Tsotsobe and cuts him imperiously over point for four.

8th over – Another wonderful shot by Trott as McLaren angles a delivery into him and he drives it sweetly through midwicket for four.

3rd over – Trott is off the mark in wonderful fashion as he steps forward confidently and square-drives Steyn on the up through point for four.

1st over – WICKET – Steyn ends a fine first over with a vital breakthrough. Alastair Cook steps across his stumps and is beaten by a great delivery that swings back into the left-hander, trapping him lbw for two.

South Africa innings

It was hardly a batting feast for South Africa as they struggled to 220 for eight against England in the fourth NatWest One-Day International at Lord’s in London on Sunday.

49th over – WICKET – Dean Elgar’s struggle is over as he gloves a hook at a slower-ball bouncer from Jade Dernbach and is caught behind by Craig Kieswetter for 35 off 59 balls, with just a single boundary.

48th over – Super batting by Robin Peterson as he picks up Dernbach’s slower ball and heaves it to cow-corner for a one-bounce four. The left-hander then scoops the next delivery over the wicketkeeper for another boundary.

47th over – Mid-on is up and Elgar’s lofted drive off Jimmy Anderson goes past him and runs away for four.

46th over – Attaboy Peterson! The left-hander pulls off two meaty reverse-sweeps for four and six off James Tredwell!

44th over – WICKET – Tredwell strikes again with another lovely piece of bowling. Wayne Parnell (5) steps out of his crease to try and a drive well-flighted delivery, but there is sharp turn away from the left-hander and Kieswetter completes another good stumping.

41st over – Off-spinner Tredwell returns but AB de Villiers greets him with an excellent reverse-paddle fine for four. WICKET – But three balls later, De Villiers comes down the pitch and tries to drive the ball inside-out over the covers. The delivery goes straight on, however, and Kieswetter pulls off a sharp stumping. De Villiers was going well on 39 off 46 balls, but has fatally underestimated Tredwell again.

29th over – WICKET – An awful shot by Faf du Plessis as he tries to run an in-swinger from Ravi Bopara, coming down the slope from the Pavilion End, to third man and only succeeds in dragging the ball back on to his stumps to be bowled for a single.

27th over – Bopara over-pitches and De Villiers drives him beautifully straight down the ground for four.

26th over – WICKET – JP Duminy has looked so good but again he’s thrown his wicket away at a crucial time! Duminy comes down the wicket to Tredwell, but the off-spinner has held the ball back a touch, the batsman is nowhere near the pitch and a bit of turn takes the ball past his attempt to push the ball on the leg side. Duminy is stumped by Craig Kieswetter for 18 off 22 balls.

25th over – WICKET – Hashim Amla is bowled as he misses a drive at a lovely little in-swinger from medium-pacer Bopara. Amla scored 45 off 73 balls, with only glimpses of his free-scoring best.

24th over – Amla missed out on the slog-sweep the ball before, but this time he hits it in the screws to collect four runs through square-leg off Tredwell.

22nd over – A beautiful shot by Duminy as he drives Dernbach through mid-on with wonderful timing for four.

21st over – Duminy squirts a drive off Anderson just past the diving Eoin Morgan at point and away for four runs.

20th over – WICKET – Dernbach surprises Smith with a quicker short delivery, the batsman edging an attempted hook through to wicketkeeper Kieswetter as he tried to play the ball above his shoulders and was late on the shot. Smith fought hard for his 29 off 54 balls.

18th over – Wow, what a shot by Amla as he drives pace bowler Dernbach straight over mid-off for a superb six!

17th over – Another dropped catch! Smith, on 26, drives hard at Steven Finn and gets the edge. But wicketkeeper Kieswetter dives across but misses the ball, putting off first slip Tredwell, who drops the catch again!

11th over – Another reprieve for Amla as Bopara jags a delivery back into the batsman, who is stuck in his crease and struck low on the pads. But umpire Richard Illingworth rules not out and Amla survives on 14. Hawkeye shows the ball would have hit the middle of leg stump, but England have already used up their review!

9th over – And now England have used their review as Amla misses a whip to leg off a Finn in-swinger and is struck in line with leg stump. But umpire Illingworth turns down the lbw appeal because, with the angle and Finn’s bounce, the ball is surely going over and past leg-stump. The review confirms this.

7th over – Finn drops short and Amla crunches a pull through midwicket for four.

5th over – A big let-off for South Africa as Amla, on four, drives off the back foot against Finn and the edge flies high, at an awkward height to Tredwell at second slip, who puts down the chance.

2nd over – And Amla also gets off the mark with a boundary, a beautifully controlled punch through extra cover off Anderson. It was actually a decent delivery with a bit of away movement.

1st over – A good start for South Africa as Finn’s second delivery, from over the wicket, is full, heading outside off stump and Smith plays it on length with a trademark clip through midwicket for a well-struck boundary.