Removing Root, Rashid's clanger and Rabada's wickets proved crucial
Monday 15 February 2016 17:06, UK
England suffered heartbreak on Valentine’s Day as, having held a 2-0 lead in their one-day series with South Africa, they succumbed to a 3-2 defeat.
Eoin Morgan's men moved to the brink of victory with wins in Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth, but then saw South Africa restore parity courtesy of successes at Centurion and in Johannesburg before pinching the series by prevailing in Cape Town.
But what were the key moments that decided each game and, ultimately, the series? Read on for our picks and feel free to share yours on Twitter @SkyCricket…
First ODI, Bloemfontein - Buttler to the four
England (399-9) beat South Africa (250-5) by 39 runs (D/L method)
REPORT | SCORECARD | COMMENTARY | PRESENTATION
With England 130-2 in the 18th over after electing to bat, thanks largely to a boundary-laden 48 from Jason Roy and Alex Hales' 57, the tourists proved how flexible their batting line-up is by promoting Buttler to No 4, above regular incumbent Morgan. That switch paid dividends in Dubai in November as Buttler cracked a 46-ball ton - the quickest by an Englishman - and it worked again at Manguang Oval with the wicketkeeper-batsman nailing his fourth ODI ton, from 73 deliveries.
Buttler (105 from 76 balls) clubbed 11 fours and five sixes before while sharing stands of 97 with Joe Root (52) and 54 with Ben Stokes (57) as England struck their second-highest ODI total and best overseas. South Africa - Quinton de Kock (138no), in particular - were stopped in their tracks by a match-ending downpour after 33.3 overs but Buttler's biffing, allied with Moeen Ali's three-for and a cracking catch from Stokes to oust AB de Villiers, had put the away side in control anyway.
Second ODI, Port Elizabeth - Jordan's match-changing catch
England (263-5) beat South Africa (262-7) by five wickets
REPORT | SCORECARD | COMMENTARY | PRESENTATION
De Villiers probably chuntered 'not again' as he strode off for 73 at St George's Park, as just three days after Stokes dismissed him with a stunning one-handed grab near the boundary rope - and I mean VERY near the boundary rope - Chris Jordan safely pouched a swirling ball in the deep to banish the South Africa captain to the dressing room in the 41st over and derail the hosts' innings when it looked set to ignite; the Proteas collecting just 57 runs from the 9.2 overs after De Villiers' exit.
England's run chase wasn't without its nervy moments, the quick-fire dismissals of Eoin Morgan and Stokes in the middle overs - the latter for an 11-ball duck peppered with unconvincing sweep strokes - left the visitors on 176-4, while they were teetering on 202-5 when Hales flicked behind to become the first man to fall for 99 in both an ODI and T20I. Buttler (48no from 28) and Moeen (21no from 15) allayed any fears, though, with a pulsating partnership of 61 from 30 balls. Job done.
Third ODI, Centurion - Root's run out
South Africa (319-3) beat England (318-8) by seven wickets
REPORT | SCORECARD | COMMENTARY | PRESENTATION
And it was going so well… England made a bright start in their bid to wrap up the series at the earliest possible opportunity, with Root (125) and Hales (65) adding 125 for the second wicket and Root and Stokes (53) thumping 82 for the fifth from 54 balls after Buttler's golden duck and Morgan's awkward eight. At 269-4 in the 43rd over an onslaught looked on but Root and Stokes' miscommunication not only ended the former's masterful knock, it stunted England's innings.
The demise of Root, unable to make his ground after being sent back by Stokes after the ball ricocheted off the stumps at the non-striker's end, began a collapse of 4-22 as the tourists limped past 300. A score of, say, 340, may not have been enough anyway with De Kock (135) and Hashim Amla (127) in supreme form while amassing an opening stand of 239 - De Kock becoming the youngest man to 10 ODI tons in the process - but it may have given the Proteas more to ponder.
Fourth ODI, Johannesburg - Rashid grasses 'million dollar man'
South Africa (266-9) beat England (262 all out) by one wicket
REPORT | SCORECARD | COMMENTARY | PRESENTATION
Pink Day, designed to help raise awareness of and funds for breast cancer, took place at Wanderers, with South Africa's kit, not to mention Sky Sports' Nasser Hussain and Nick Knight's shirts, the necessary colour. The cricket was just as vibrant, with Imran Tahir's three quick wickets and Hashim Amla's sharp catching seeing England sink to 108-6 before Root's 109 - his eighth ODI century and second in a row - and valuable contributions from Chris Woakes (33) and Adil Rashid (39) lifted the visitors above 250.
The action didn't abate as darkness descended, either, with Woakes' superb run-out of De Villiers seemingly swinging the match England's way, South Africa tumbling from 121-3 in the 25th over to 210-8 in the 42nd. They should have been nine down when Chris Morris flayed to Rashid in the deep on 14 but the Yorkshireman shelled the chance and Morris made him pay, showing why IPL franchise Delhi Daredevils have forked out $1m on him with a match-winning 62 from 38 deliveries. Rashid bowled Morris with the scores level but the damage was irretrievable.
Fifth ODI, Cape Town - Rabada's twin strike
South Africa (237-5) beat England (236 all out) by five wickets
REPORT | SCORECARD | COMMENTARY | MORGAN INTERVIEW
England's batting let them down again at Newlands, though they may have scored sufficiently higher than 236 had livewire Proteas seamer Kagiso Rabada not decimated Stokes and Buttler's stumps from consecutive legal deliveries in the 28th over. The 20-year-old bowled Stokes around his legs before shattering Buttler's poles off an inside edge to hand the latter his second golden duck of the series. England were left not only at 156-5 but with two of their most destructive forces back in the shed.
Hales (112) impressed again, posting his second ODI ton and becoming the top run scorer for England in a five-match ODI series, while Reece Topley gave the tourists hope by taking three early scalps as the Proteas slumped to 22-3. However, the majestic De Villiers (101no) navigated his way to a 24th ODI ton, sharing stands of 125 with long-time partner in crime Amla (59) and 71 with the hard-hitting David Wiese (41no) as South Africa became just the third side in history to overturn a 2-0 deficit in a five-match series.
Watch England's two-match T20I series in South Africa live on Sky Sports 2, starting with the opener, in Cape Town, from 3.30pm on Friday.
