Skipper Paul Collingwood won the toss and decided England should bat first in their opening Super Eight clash. However, after the hosts were dismissed for a paltry 111, an unbeaten half-century by Jacques Kallis helped the Proteas cruise to victory.
It leaves England needing to beat defending champions India at Lord’s on Sunday and the West Indies at The Brit Oval the following day if they are to have any realistic chance of making the semi-finals. But they will have to bat much better than they did in Nottingham if they are to do that.
Openers Luke Wright and Ravi Bopara have struck up a profitable opening partnership in this tournament but both perished in the first two overs to leave England four for two. Bopara was the first to go, bowled by Dale Steyn and Wright followed when he edged Wayne Parnell behind to Mark Boucher. Kevin Pietersen hit 19 before he was brilliantly caught by Roelof Van Der Merwe. Collingwood (19), James Foster (1), Dimitri Mascarenhas (1) and Owais Shah (38) fell as England collapsed from 78 for three to 88 for seven. And 19-year-old fast bowler Parnell rapped up the innings to take figures of three for 14.South Africa were never in trouble in their reply, despite the early loss of captain Graeme Smith to Stuart Broad, and Kallis’ unbeaten 57 saw the Proteas home with ten balls to spare.
Source {Metro}
Source {Metro}
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