Bob Willis
Cricket Expert & Columnist
World T20: England must defeat 'beatable' South Africa, says Bob Willis
England's control with the ball needs to improve against Proteas
Last Updated: 16/03/16 8:40pm
England must defeat a 'beatable' South Africa to keep their World T20 hopes alive, says Sky Sports pundit Bob Willis.
Eoin Morgan's men succumbed to a six-wicket loss to West Indies in their Group 1 opener in Mumbai as Chris Gayle smashed an unbeaten 100 from 48 deliveries.
England slipped to a 2-0 series reverse against the Proteas in South Africa earlier this year but Willis says there are fragilities that the team can exploit during Friday's clash at the same venue.
"South Africa are beatable in T20 cricket - they have some star batsmen, namely AB de Villiers, but their bowling is suspect and not quite what it used to be.
"It really is the old cliché of a must-win match as if England lose to South Africa it will be very difficult to get in the top-two places.
"Not only did they lose to West Indies but the West Indies' net run rate is so superior, so England need to get back on the horse and register a win."
Gayle's thumping innings saw West Indies seal victory with 11 balls to spare - after England bowled 10 wides and two no balls at Wankhede Stadium.
England were light on runs - just below 200 was probably par on a ground as small as that - but the most disappointing aspect for me was the control of the seam bowlers," said Willis.
"Chris Jordan and Ben Stokes were the main culprits, bowling too many wides and too many full tosses.
"They were pretty unlucky to get that amount of dew on the outfield, but 10 wides means 10 extra runs and also 10 more deliveries for the batsmen to score off.
"West Indies won with just under two overs to spare, so if you count up the wides bowled that's the difference between the two sides.
"England need to be a lot more disciplined with their bowling - they were out-bowled by West Indies with their use of slower balls and yorkers, particularly by Dwayne Bravo."
Gayle lashed 11 maximums in his knock, taking his tally in T20Is to 98 from 46 matches, seven ahead of second-placed Brendon McCullum, who bowed out from the international arena ahead of the World T20.
Willis feels that with McCullum now focusing on the domestic game Gayle is arguably the most destructive short-form player in world cricket - and that his team must be classed as a threat to the World T20 title.
"With McCullum moving on, he is the best T20 player in the world, and he keep things so simple," added Willis.
"There are all those coaching manuals about moving your feet and trigger movements but there is only one movement from Gayle and then this lovely, languid swing - almost like a golfer - before the ball disappears into the stands.
"I think people forget how good the West Indies are at T20 cricket - they won the tournament in 2012 and half of the side spend their lives going around the world playing in the format."
Watch complete coverage of the 2016 ICC World T20, live on Sky Sports.