Proteas could inflict first home whitewash in almost 20 years on England
England v South Africa | 3rd ODI | Sunday, 7th September | Rose Bowl, Southampton | 12:00pm
Sunday’s game is the final game of a three-match series. The series has already been decided with the Proteas winning both the opening two encounters.
Last time South Africa went into a dead rubber (against Australia in August) they were soundly beaten after failing to pitch up. They will have learned from that and will want to be much better in game three against England.
Thursday encounter at Lord’s which saw South Africa claim the series win means that England has now lost five of the six ODI series they have played since the 2023 World Cup.
England’s fifth-bowler combination of Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks were brutally exposed at Lords as their 10 overs went for a massive 112. England urgently needs to find a better solution for their fifth bowler to give their squad better balance – as it stands, they are reliant on part-time spin and lack a seam-bowling all-rounder. Sam Curran remains out of favour, Ben Stokes’ future is uncertain, and Jamie Overton is unused.
If South Africa win on Sunday, it will be England’s first home whitewash in ODIs since 2006.
Keshav Maharaj is currently the top ranked ODI bowler in the world. He is the leading wicket-taker in the series with six scalps at an average of 13.5.
England’s leading bowler is veteran Adil Rashid who has one fewer wicket than Maharaj with his scalps coming at an average of 11.8.
Protea’s batsman Matthew Breetzke returned to the line-up on Thursday after missing out the series opener with a niggle. Breetzke has played five ODI’s and has yet to be dismissed for a score of less than fifty. At Lords he became the first batsman in ODI history to score more than 50 in each of his first five innings. He currently averages 92.6 in ODI cricket.
Dewald Brevis has managed 48 runs in the series thus far. He is batting with a strike rate of 218.18
South Africa have won each of their last four games against England. The last time the Proteas lost to England was in 2023.
No batsman has yet managed a century in the series. The top score of the series thus far is Aiden Markram’s 86 from the series opener.
Venue: The Rose Bowl, Southampton
South Africa have played five games at the Rose Bowl. They have won two and lost two with the other game ending with no result.
England have won 14 of the 22 games they have played at the Rose Bowl.
There is no discernable difference between batting first or second in Southampton with an even split of 15 wins for each.
The average first innings score at the Rose Bowl is 240.
The highest score posted in Southampton was a massive 373 for three made by England against Pakistan in 2019.
The highest score successfully chased at the Rose Bowl was Ireland’s 329 for three against England in 2020.
Weather:
There is rain predicted for Southampton on Sunday, but it shouldn’t be enough to prevent the game from being. While there may be a delay or two along the way, expect the game to be played. There’s a reasonable breeze predicted, and the temperature will be a chilly 21 degrees at its peak but expect cricket to be played. The presence of rain may lead to the side winning the toss choosing to field fist.
Form (most recent game first):
England: L, L, W, W, W.
South Africa: W, W, L, W, W.
Key player:
England, Jacob Bethell: Still just 21, Bethell has been earmarked for big things. He showed a hint of what he is capable of in the second ODI on Thursday as he belted a swift 58 runs from 40 balls after being promoted up the order to number four. He was particularly severe on Aidan Markram as he hit five fours and three sixes before being well held at point by Dewald Brevis. In many ways he is England’s version of Brevis and having found some form at Lords on Thursday he will be wanting to build on that on the south coast as he goes in search of a maiden ODI century.
South Africa, Matthew Breetzke: He may be new to the Proteas scene, but Breetzke has taken to ODI cricket like the proverbial duck to water. While he considers himself an opening batsman, he has been deployed at four by the Proteas and he has yet to put a foot wrong. He is the only batsman in the history of ODI cricket to score five fifty-plus scores in his first five innings. And while his good fortune will have to come to an end at some point, he has scarcely put a foot wrong to date. He looked composed and comfortable at Lord’s, and he will be hoping for another big score in Southampton on Sunday.
Verdict: South Africa
Last time they faced a dead-rubber it didn’t go so well for them. The Proteas have hopefully learned from the awful capitulation against Australia in Mackay. Shukri Conrad has worked hard on getting his charges to start series on the front foot and it has worked wonders. Now he needs to ensure that they show their ruthless streak by closing out series in similar fashion. Expect South Africa to come hard in search of the whitewash.
