The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 champions England suffered a defeat in their first ODI after the CWC 2019 tournament. On Tuesday (4th February), in the opening game of the three-match ODI series against the hosts South Africa at Cape Town, the no.1-ranked ODI team suffered a seven-wicket defeat.
After winning the toss, the hosts decided to field first. While Quinton de Kock-led Proteas side restricted the visitors to 258/8 (50 overs), the hosts chased that down comfortably in 47.4 overs after losing three wickets. It was the highest successful chase in Cape Town ODI history that broke a 19-year-old record.
Though the opener Reeza Hendricks (6) lost his wicket at the early stage in the second innings, captain & wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma handled that situation very well. They put the brilliant 173 runs partnership for the second wicket which made easy their chasing. Skipper de Kock scored 107 runs off 113 balls (11 fours and one sixer) before Joe Root bowled him.
On the other hand, Bavuma was unlucky as he missed out his ODI century for just two runs. The right-handed batsman scored 98 runs off 103 balls (5 fours and 2 sixes). Rassie van der Dussen (38*) and JJ Smuts (7*) remained not out in that series leading victory.
Apart from Joe Root (1/35), England bowlers Chris Woakes (1/36) and Chris Jordan (1/31) also bagged one wicket each in that second innings of that match.
England batting struggled despite a good start
In the first batting, England openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow made a good start with 51 runs partnership. But after that partnership was broken, the visitors were losing their wickets at regular intervals. The English team was once battling on 131/6.
Joe Denly and Chris Woakes took charge in control and provided a very important 91-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Woakes was dismissed on 40 runs (42 balls). In the end, Denly put another crucial 32 runs partnership with Tom Curran for the eighth wicket. In the final over of that innings, Denly lost his wicket of 87 runs off 103 balls (6 fours and 2 sixes).
Tabraiz Shamsi was the only South African bowler in that innings who managed to claim more than one wicket. The left-arm chinaman had the bowling figures of 10-0-38-3.
