Despite an improved performance with the bat, South Africa couldn’t avoid a T20 whitewash in the third and final clash against England at Newlands on Tuesday.
Having already the lost the series heading into the match after defeats by five and four wickets at Newlands and Boland Park, respectively, Quinton de Kock’s men would’ve been determined to avoid a clean sweep.
RECORD FOURTH-WICKET PARTNERSHIP FOR SA
De Kock won the toss for the first time in the series and elected to bat.
After stumbling to 64/3 in the 10th over, Rassie van der Dussen and Faf du Plessis shared a record fourth-wicket partnership.
Van der Dussen (74 not out) and Du Plessis (52 not out) powered South Africa to 191/3, the highest total of the series, adding an unbeaten 127 off 66 balls.
However, when it came to England’s innings, the Proteas’ attack was helpless in preventing their visitors from powering to a nine-wicket victory with 14 balls to spare.
The destroyer-in-chief for England was Dawid Malan who scored an unbeaten 99 off just 47 balls.
He was ably assisted by Jos Buttler who hit 67 off 46 balls.
Adding to the Proteas’ woes, their star fast bowler Kagiso Rabada suffered a groin injury which not only ruled him out of the match, but also the three ODIs that the sides will now play, starting on Friday.
Rabada is now in a race against time to be fit for the Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka.
TEAMS:
South Africa
Quinton de Kock (captain, wkt), Temba Bavuma, Reeza Hendricks, Faf du Plessis, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen/Jon-Jon Smuts, George Linde, Lungi Ngidi/Beuran Hendricks/Lutho Sipamla, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi
England
Jason Roy, Jos Buttler (wkt), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
SOUTH AFRICA V ENGLAND ODI FIXTURES:
Friday, December 4: 1st ODI South Africa v England, Newlands – 13:00
Sunday, December 6: 2nd ODI South Africa v England, Boland Park, Paarl – 10:00
Wednesday, December 9: 3rd ODI South Africa v England, Newlands – 13:00
