Excuse me while I interrupt myself, as the great Murray Walker once said, but we have an international series coming up on the schedule in South Africa. A nation buoyed by the successful launch of the SA20 will put that tournament on hold for a week to host the team that welcomed them two years ago – when some might call a convenient Covid outbreak, England forced to cancel last-minute. Three Pre-Christmas ODIs.
Despite the World Cup being held in India this year, and the need for international teams to reacquaint themselves with the rigors of 50-over cricket, this bizarre stop-over is rather emblematic of the current moribund state of bilateral international cricket – A format that has long been subject to the whims of TV contracts, but which has been made to feel extra outlandish in recent months.
England’s last ODI series (did you remember any of the details? Thought not) in Australia was a sordid affair, similarly included in the schedule as part of the Covid backlog, while the explosion of the franchise T20 league this month was a The potential offers another side of the pincer movement on the international game. Will crowds flock to Bloemfontein and Kimberley as they have done to Newlands and Paarl over the past few weeks, or will they show their love and wait for their new favorite tournament to resume? Early signs for ticket sales are not promising. For a country that has openly sacrificed its international calendar to pursue the world of the franchise, this seems like an important test case.
However, there’s at least one good reason to fork over the R250 for entry this week. The return of Jofra Archer after nearly two years away from England’s establishment is a delight, even if the South African batsman is not too enthused by the prospect. One of the purest talents in world cricket has been through the ringer since twin elbow operations in 2021, and last year’s back stress fracture was a cruelly timed blow, just when it looked like he might be on the verge of a comeback. Moving forward for In his own assessment, he is currently “80 per cent fit”, but Archer’s performance in the SA20 has sent a strong message that his apparatus is no less for the humiliations he has endured. He has a big year ahead of him, another Ashes and World Cup double-header to work towards, and in England’s terms it starts from here.
However, who knows where England is in general terms. As newly-crowned double World Champions, they may approach these contests with more swagger than they displayed in a confused domestic campaign last summer, when Jos Buttler and Matthew Mott were still in the new captain/coach alliance. were bedridden as South Africa not only swept the T20I series but were also well prepared to pinch off the ODIs when rain disrupted Quinton de Kock’s best efforts in the series decider at Headingley did.
Either way, by this stage of the 2019 World Cup cycle, England sides set on cruise control are a thing of the past. There are all kinds of questions to be answered in the coming months and only a few of them are likely to be answered in the next three days.
Is Jason Roy’s slump in form terminal? Is Dawid Malan the long-term answer at No. 3, or just a placeholder while Joe Root focuses on the baseball? Do Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali have another World Cup in store? And can Mott get through a press conference without feeling obligated to address the elephant that isn’t in Ben Stokes’ room? Just as the T20 World Cup XI came together as if over a packet of Tepal tea in Pakistan, you suspect there will be no stability in the 50-over squad until the final approaches in October.
South Africa, in contrast, have a pretty good idea of their best XI – their major issue would seem to be settling on a style in which to highlight it. Temba Bavuma, their captain, admitted on the eve of the series that England’s recent Test exploits would serve as a kind of inspiration, although noting that South Africa’s interpretation of baseball would “take the s*** out of it”. stop” may be included. , It seems like his strategy is a work in progress.
Either way, Heinrich Klaasen’s form in the SA20 is good as an example to the rest of the side, and if de Kock is a few runs short, the square off he takes at the top of the order is permanent. And lest we forget, in this era of the cross-pollinated red-and-white-ball mentality, it was an attack led by Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rababa and Lungi Ngidi that stunned England’s Test team at Lord’s last summer. Had bettered it – the only match Stokes’ men have lost so far in round 10. A repeat of that performance, and the Free State crowd may just decide whether the international game has yet to have legs.
form guide
South Africa LLWLW (Last Five Tests, Most Recent First) England LLLWL
in the headlines
Despite his conspicuous lack of Test centuries, temba bavuma Has arguably been South Africa’s best red-ball batsman for the best part of two years. At the other end, his white-ball form is a work in progress, to put it kindly – and as captain of his country, it’s a particularly difficult situation. He did manage to reach three figures this time last year against India, but his form fell off a cliff in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup (and the less said about his eventual elimination, the better). He would arguably be better off at the top of the order, to emulate his T20 role, but as of now, he needs runs from whichever berth he chooses.
All eyes will of course be on Archer, but this series is just a staging post in his gradual return from injury. for jason royOn the contrary, big money is at stake in the coming three matches as he hits every stride to get a semblance of form. His return to Paarl Royals in SA20 has been desperate, top score of 33 in eight matches. Teammate Jos Buttler, meanwhile, has been dismissed for less than that total on only two occasions – with his tight-lipped performance in the Australia ODIs resulting in a 61-ball 39. For seven years, Roy was the totem of Morgan’s rebooted England team, fearlessly buzzing at the top of the order and never afraid to falter in his determination that the collective must succeed. Lately, however, he has batted as if a trap door had opened beneath his feet. With man Will Jacks coming to the SA20, if anyone needs a dose of buzzball mentality, it’s Roy.
team news
Bavuma says he knows his best XI but is not giving too much away right now. Realistically, the one true question is whether Janneman Malan should continue at the top of the order, or if Reeza Hendricks gets a crack there instead – although his strange knock for JSK at Wanderers on Tuesday, when Faf du Plessis He scolded everyone. In an opening stand of 157, he might be better off waiting for his turn.
South Africa (Probable) 1. Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Janman Malan, 3 Temba Bavuma (c), 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Wayne Parnell, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Sisanda Magala/Lungi Ngidi, 10 Tabrez Shamsi, 11 Enrich Nortje
Harry Brook, already seemingly a veteran across formats, looks set to complete his full set of England caps when he is handed his ODI debut. While Archer’s return is the major item on the agenda, Ben Duckett’s first 50-over appearance in six years is also anticipated, given that Phil Salt has been feeling under the weather this week. Reece Topley, like Archer, may not play all three games as he is working his way back from an ankle injury that ended his World Cup hopes.
England: 1 Jason Roy, 2 Phil Salt/Ben Duckett, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Jos Buttler (c & wk), 5 Harry Brook, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Rees Topley / Olly Stone
pitch and terms
Bloemfontein boasts the largest outfield in South Africa. There have been spells of thunder in the lead up to the match but the weather is clear on Friday, with the temperature expected to be 31 degrees.
statistics and general knowledge
If selected, Jofra Archer will play his first international match since the T20I tour of India in March 2021. He has since missed a total of 84 matches for England – 24 Tests, 21 ODIs and 39 T20Is.
And yet, surprisingly, england has never lost In four attempts at the venue. Bloemfontein was the scene of his solitary victory in a 6–1 defeat in 1996, as well as a nine-wicket haul in 2000, and an entertaining tie in Kevin Pietersen’s famous comeback in South Africa in 2005.
Citation
“Our World Cup is still nine months away and we don’t have a lot of games before that. They are all really important games to give people a chance and exposure in the ODI format and a chance for people to try and nail it.” Let’s give.” A place in the XI or 15 for the World Cup.” jos buttlerThe England captain believes the clock is ticking for England’s title defense
“We’re South Africans. We have our way of thinking, our way of doing things. There’s nothing wrong with taking a little bit of England, putting it together and seeing what happens. We have the personnel, the people going out and expressing ourselves – if it equates to the South African way of playing ‘baseball’, to use a silly word – then so be it. If that means we’re going out there and Stopping the ball from going off the ball, so be it.” captain of south africa temba bavuma isn’t afraid to borrow some ideas from England and put a unique spin on them
Andrew Miller is the UK editor for ESPNcricinfo. @miller_cricket
