SA vs ENG: 1st ODI, Match Prediction – Who will win today’s match?

England has been phenomenal in the manner they have acclimatized with the foreign conditions and have ensured to play their A-game ever since the tour has commenced.

Published - 03 Dec 2020, 18:43 IST | Updated - 03 Dec 2020, 18:43 IST

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After being thoroughly outplayed in the recently-concluded three-match T20I series, South Africa would be keenly waiting to make it count as both teams move to the longer version of the game. In the T20I series, despite having their moments, it was the hosts’ lack of capitalizations that forced them towards defeat, and their camp must be dejected staring at what the scoreline suggests.

Giving the credit where it is due, England has been phenomenal in the manner they have acclimatized with the foreign conditions and have ensured to play their A-game ever since the tour has commenced. It is no mean feat to thrash the Proteas in their backyard, and having done that, England has, quite deservedly, climbed their way to the summit of the ICC’s T20I rankings displacing Australia from the top.

The challenge in the 50-over format for the Africans will only be tougher as they will miss the services of their mainstay Faf du Plessis, who has been allowed to take rest from the series, whereas the advised three-week rest period for Rabada, their express pacer, owing to an injury in his right adductor, has made him unavailable for the series in its entirety.

Unlike their opponents, England has a balanced unit of players, who all have a scintillating recent record to back themselves. While Jonny Bairstow has, for quite some time, become England’s go-to in the limited-overs format, skipper Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler are carrying their decent nick from the IPL and the T20I series in the coming series. The only concern for England remains the out-of-touch Jason Roy, who managed scores of 0, 14, and 16 in the last three games.

Pitch and conditions

Two of the three T20Is were played at Newlands, and with only a gap of two days between the last encounter and the first ODI tomorrow, the track will, of course, be slightly tired. The first T20I recorded 362 runs in 236 balls, whereas 383 in 226 balls were scored in the last T20I. Despite the quick use of the track, there will be an expectation of a high-scoring contest.

Playing combinations for SA vs ENG

England Probable XI

Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (C), Jos Buttler (WK), Sam Billings/Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Reece Topley/Olly Stone

Bench: Liam Livingstone, Lewis Gregory, Sam Billings/Moeen Ali

South Africa Probable XI

Quinton de Kock (C & WK), Janneman Malan, JJ Smuts/Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj/Tabraiz Shamsi, Anrich Nortje, Beuran Hendricks, Lungi Ngidi

Bench: Junior Dala, Glenton Stuurman, Lutho Sipamla, Keshav Maharaj/Tabraiz Shamsi, Kyle Verreynne, JJ Smuts/Temba Bavuma, Andil Phehlukwayo

Probable top performers for SA vs ENG

Quinton de Kock (SA)

Quinton de Kock’s ODI numbers against England read as 12 innings, 718 runs at 65.27, three centuries, and as many half-centuries. In the year 2020, the southpaw has scored 228 runs at 38 in 6 innings and has slammed a century and half-century in the limited games he has played. That his team has been whitewashed in the T20Is, expect de Kock to take charge and lead from the front with the bat.

Jonny Bairstow (ENG)

Bairstow has been in sensational form with the bat of late. He played a crucial 86-run knock in the first T20I that led his team to victory. In the year 2020, Bairstow has scored 346 runs at 43.25 in 8 innings and has a century and two half-centuries to his credit. Given his excellent stroke play and consistent ability to score runs, he is undoubtedly one of the key players to watch out for.