Bye bye! Cheers everyone. Sorry we couldn’t hang longer, but in the enduring words of our (soon to be ex) leader, them’s the breaks.
Go well.
Jos Buttler is keen to reflect on how this ODI side goes about filling the Ben Stokes shaped hole. A few names stepped up, mind.
“It is something that we can sit on now and look ahead to what does that look like when Ben is missing from this team and to make sure that we have the World Cup in mind,” Jos said.
“Those conditions that we might face in India, what will we need out there and when you have a genuine allrounder like Ben, you are always going to feel short, in either the batting or the bowling. Just for us to have the time to workout which way we want to go and give guys opportunities to stake a claim for that place.”
Keshav Maharaj loved seeing the “old Quinny” The South African skipper lauds his dashing opener who has had his troubles the last 18 months but was sublime today.
“ He looked really in good touch, pity he couldn’t get the magical three-figure mark. There is a lot of cricket left, and hopefully he can replicate the form. We have found a very good combination, a few players were rested, they will slot in. We just need to be more focused and take the opportunity”
He says that we can expect the same faces in the T20 series, though he isn’t captain for that one. That’s David Miller.
Updated
Rassie wins player of the series. The only centurion in the three matches gets the nod from the written press.
“We’re pretty close,” Rassie says of where the team would like to be. “We’ve got a blueprint.”
And his role? “Being adaptable, playing clever cricket.” Easy game then.
“It was pretty hot,” he says of the hottest of hot days in Durham, though downplays the alien conditions. “We’re used to it,” he says. #Alpha
Series ends all square at 1-1. What a disappointing finish. Just as it seemed as if we were heading to a crescendo in this three-match rubber, with Quinton de Kock still climbing through the gears in a fluent 92* off 76 balls, and with South Africa on 159 for two in the 28th over, the rain fell and never left.
There was an earlier rain delay as well, but then the soggy affair has become a blur.
South Africa took the first match by 62 runs thanks to a Rassie van der Dussen ton in the Durham heat. England’s bowlers then roared back in Manchester, bundling the Proteas out for 83 in a 118 run triumph.
So we arrived in Headingley full of hope. Sadly the cricket gods, those tricksy, conniving scoundrels, had the final say. Thankfully, though, the circus rolls round again in just three days’ time with the first of three T20s in the (fingers crossed, sunnier) south. Bristol, then Cardiff the very next day, before Southampton’s finale on Sunday.
I’ll be back with any quotes from players if they arrive. Otherwise, if you don’t hear from me, hope you stay well til the next one.
Match abandoned. Sorry everyone. The news has just come through. That’s that I’m afraid. The game has been called :(
This is adorable but also a timely reminder that this game dolls out harsh lessons to everyone, even the innocent. This little one won’t remember the specifics, but deep in their subconscious a seed of an idea will form and germinate and sprout into the innate truth that we have all come to accept. That cricket is a silly, silly game and infuriates and bores a lot more than it excites and thrills. Rain delays eh....
Rain rain go away stay away for a cricket day!!!!#ENGvSA@englandcricket @david_willey @root66 @jbairstow21 @liaml4893 @josbuttler @CurranSM pic.twitter.com/Ful275Uc0j
— Chloe Hirst (Riley Hirst) (@chloehirst25) July 24, 2022
Let’s not put it past them just yet.
At least England won't get bowled out today. #ENGvsRSA #ENGvSA
— Anuj Trivedi (@anuj10trivedi) July 24, 2022
If no play by 6:04 it’s all over. Still plenty of time before then and now.
Apologies Kim. Misspelled your name in the last post. Sorted now.
My name is Daniel, and I endorse this message from Kim Thonger:
“Good afternoon Daniel. The 50% refund thing seems eminently fair and I wonder if it might be applied neatly in other walks of life. For example, a government only delivering on half its manifesto commitments might refund half the tax taken from us?”
Can I get an amen?
Updated
Heavy sheets have been put in place around the ground. Maybe the ground staff know something. It’s all rather grim.
We might get a 20-ver match at some point. If so, the DLS target would be 175.
50% refunds if there’s no more play, (15.1 overs to 30 overs played, no result is obtained) so says our man Ali Martin. So, if you’re reading this from Headingley (hopefully under cover) there may be a silver lining. Still, would be a shame if this series dribbles to a damp conclusion.
Quinton the soothsayer. How good is this from Quinton de Kock?
He literally practiced the shot seconds before executing… #telegraphed #sogoodthough #ENGvSA @SkyCricket pic.twitter.com/Wb7m3hchOr
— Tom Huelin (@TomHuelin1) July 24, 2022
Thanks Rob. Howdy folks. What have I missed? Not a whole lot by the looks of things. Still raining up north but perhaps clearing up by 4pm. Let’s wait and see. In the meantime, do get in touch. What’s your preferred time killer during rain delays? I’ve got the F1 on. What are you up to?
It could be a while before we get any more action, so I’m going to walk the dogs and hand over to Daniel Gallan for the rest of the day. Thanks for the baseball education, bye!
According to our friends at Cricinfo, the cutoff time for a 20-over runchase is 6.14pm.
The forecast remains pretty good from 4pm - I promise I’m not being sponsored by the Met Office - so I still think we’ll still get a game today: 33 overs a side, something like that.
“All you need to know, Rob,” begins Simon McMahon, “is that baseball is essentially rounders for grown-ups who want to behave like children, and cricket, in whatever format, is the greatest game ever invented.”
Simon McMahon’s contact details are available to the highest/most affronted bidder.
Updated
“Long-time US reader, never felt the need to holler about the OBO before,” begins Vardibidian, “but... a baseball player is ‘on-deck’ for, on average, four or five balls - perhaps as much as three minutes’ time. That doesn’t seem to apply to the next batter up in a cricket match, does it?”
In cricket they could be waiting hours, at least in theory. But I don’t know anything about baseball so suspect I am failing to acknowledge something really obvious here.
“I have often thought about Moeen’s ODI record but was recently talking to a friend who works in sports analytics…” says Ed Marsh. “He said that averages matter most in Tests, least in T20 and to an extent in ODIs. Conversely scoring rates matter least in Tests, most in T20 and to an extent in ODIs.
“So alongside Moeen’s batting average you need to factor in he scores his runs at 99 runs per hundred balls (nearly six an over) and concedes his runs at 5.27 an over. Which for an allrounder (batting at No7 and fifth-choice bowler) probably matter more than pure averages. I guess, though, it relies on him not being required to take too many wickets or score too many runs so he’s best suited to a side with 3/4 batters averaging 40+ and 3/4 bowlers averaging under 30 to be the ideal complementary piece.”
Yes, that’s a fair point, though you can’t completely ignore averages or you might end up with a team that looks great on paper and is bowled out inside 30 overs every time. It’s all pretty complicated, particularly with all the data available these days. I just think Moeen has struggled in ODIs in recent years (T20s are different, I like him in that team), and leaving him out halfway through the 2019 World Cup was an important moment.
Rain stops play (II)
27.4 overs: South Africa 159-2 (de Kock 92, Markram 24) The covers are coming on again, so we’ll have a delay and another reduction in overs when the players do get back on. Gah.
Updated
27th over: South Africa 157-2 (de Kock 91, Markram 23) Liam Livingstone replaces Adil Rashid, who has been unusually loose and has figures of 6-0-36-1. The bowling is much of a muchness to de Kock, who pings consecutive deliveries through the covers for four and then two to move into the nineties.
26th over: South Africa 148-2 (de Kock 84, Markram 21) Markram muscles a reverse sweep over backward point off Moeen, with the ball running away for his first boundary. The usual ones and twos make it an excellent over for South Africa, 10 from it.
25th over: South Africa 138-2 (de Kock 81, Markram 13) Another boundary for de Kock, reverse swept past Buttler’s left glove. This has been such a good innings. I can think of only one or two shots that have felt forced or risky, yet he has 81 from 68 balls.
“Methinks Mr Porter May have mixed his bunts and bumps up,” says Si B. “Bunt is very much derived from baseball. In cricket it’s always been a bump ball.”
I knew I should have pulled a sickie today.
Updated
24th over: South Africa 130-2 (de Kock 75, Markram 12) South Africa are manouevring the ball well, as they did in the first ODI at Chester-le-Street. Chuck in de Kock’s stylish boundary-hitting and you have a healthy run rate of around 5.5 per over. He has 75 from 65 balls, Markram 12 from 23.
Updated
23rd over: South Africa 127-2 (de Kock 75, Markram 9) Rashid beats Markram with a delivery that turns a long way past the edge. But de Kock gets another boundary with an accomplished reverse sweep.
In other news, I think more rain is on the way.
“When I was growing up, many years ago, a ball hit into the ground and therefore couldn’t be out caught, was referred to as a ‘bunt ball’,” says Simon Porter. “I gather ‘bump ball’ which seems to be coming into modern usage is an import from baseball. I know, pedantic, but standards must be maintained, etc…”
Is that right? I’ve only ever known it as ‘bump ball’. I’m glad I turned up for work today.
22nd over: South Africa 121-2 (de Kock 70, Markram 8) Moeen Ali returns to the attack. We never really question his place in the ODI side, but his record is modest: Moeen averages 25 with the bat, with no half centuries since 2017, and 50 with the ball.
A low full toss is pinged towards extra cover by de Kock, where the diving Roy makes a good save. Two from the over.
21st over: South Africa 119-2 (de Kock 69, Markram 7) There was one ball remaining in the 21st over when rain stopped play. Adil Rashid bowls it to Quinton de Kock, who pushes it straight to short midwicket. Next!
Here we go!
The covers have come off at Headingley! 🙌🏻
— ICC (@ICC) July 24, 2022
The third ODI will resume with teams to play 45 overs apiece.#ENGvSA | https://t.co/pIElmHYGgz pic.twitter.com/6VjFk24TWH
Updated
Play will restart at 2.15pm
If there are no more interruptions, the match will be 45 overs per side, with England’s target determined by DLS.
Updated
“To be particularly nerdy, bullpens are usually (now) just outside the outfield fence,” says John Foster. “So think of someone trotting on from the Nursery Ground at Lord’s. Back in the day, they used to be just outside the first/third base lines (often leading to hilarity/confusion when a foul ball went their way) so like Jofra Archer at the World Cup final. The finest exemplar of the power of the bullpen is here (slightly whiffy language).
“It’s also a cause of much consternation at the mo with the powers that be, given it takes about five minutes to walk in and throw half a dozen warm up pitches on the mound. So it’d fit right in with the ire directed at random drinks breaks etc. Don’t really see how that’d work with cricket, but the on-deck thing for batters is a ‘home run’! Haha, do you see what I did there?!”
A fine email, but I have to pull you up on one thing - in 2022, the phrase ‘it’s also a cause of much consternation at the mo’ is a tautology.
Inspection at 1.45pm It’s looking a peedie bit better, though I don’t think we’ve seen the last moisture of the day.
Updated
“Baseball bullpens are usually in the outfield under the cheap seats, though with modern stadiums they are a bit all over the place,” writes Simon Piper. “It’s very quick to get the warmed-up pitcher out into the mound via the anachronistic medium of a cabled phone handset from the dugout.
That’s for the pitchers (bowlers) though.The batters are ‘on deck’ in a small circle where they swing away with disc weights on their bat (which are cylindrical, so it’s easy to slide them in and off).”
Weatherwatch latest
Without wishing to be a prophet of DOOOOM… this is doomed #EngvSA pic.twitter.com/8qEU6dXnAH
— Andrew Miller (@miller_cricket) July 24, 2022
Remember when (England v South Africa at Headingley department)
Never mind my half-arsed weather forecast, our media editor Jim Waterson is at Headingley.
Your on the ground weather forecast, as I work my way through my mum’s sandwiches on a family day out: fine damp mist of the sort that isn’t really rain but somehow gets right inside your bones and leaves everything a bit soggy.
“Grey skies in the direction of Roundhay, childhood home of future prime minister Liz Truss. Nothing is happening here any time soon, even though paradoxically it’s not exactly raining.
Updated
Weather update It doesn’t look great for the next few hours. The forecast is a lot better from around 4pm, so there should still be scope for a shorter game. Start swotting up on DLS.
Interlude
This is so good.
“A bullpen would be sensible,” says John Foster, “but surely even more sensible would be a kind of on-deck circle for the incoming batter in white-ball cricket. Just to feel bat on ball, and get in the groove, and similar cliches, rather than coming in stone cold with a bacon sandwich and few cups of tea weighing heavy in the belly. As a life-long baseball follower, I remain astonished that this hasn’t come into the game yet.”
I know the square root of bugger all about baseball - I really need to watch that Ken Burns series - so excuse what may well be a moronic question. Where are the bull-pens in baseball? Would there be any potential issues with people being timed out in cricket? (I’m also not sure how it would work for bowlers, given they have to field, even though I like the idea in theory.)
I’m off for a quick break, but will be back with weather updates as and when. I suspect it’ll be a stop-start game for the next few hours.
I’ll leave you with some fairly miserable lunchtime reading.
“Bull pen?” sniffs Gary Naylor. “Bull er... well, we’re not at the watershed yet. How often did Graeme Swann need a warm-up?”
Hmm, I know what you mean, but the excellence of a small group (Jimmy Anderson has tried to abolish the loosener over the past decade) doesn’t invalidate the idea.
The forecast is better from around 4pm, so we should still get a game, if not necessarily a full one.
Rain stops play
20.5 overs: South Africa 119-2 (de Kock 69, Markram 7) Ach, the rain is getting heavier and the umpires have decided to take the players off.
Updated
20th over: South Africa 114-2 (de Kock 68, Markram 5) The speed of de Kock’s scoring means the new batters can afford to take 10-15 balls to get their eye in. Curran’s fourth over is milked for six, none in boundaries.
19th over: South Africa 108-2 (de Kock 64, Markram 3) The crowd get excited when Rashid drops a return catch off Markram, but it was a bump ball. Markram has 3 from 9 balls, de Kock 64 from 59. If you’re just joining us, a) you’re dead to me and b) de Kock is batting delightfully.
“Clever wicket by Rashid - beat van der Dussen in the flight - but had a shocker in his first over: four long hops and a wide,” says Kevin Mitchell. “Cricket needs a bull-pen, as in baseball, for bowlers to warm up. No excuse for that filth at this level.”
That’s transported me back to 14 July 2019, and the sight of Jofra Archer turning his arm over by the boundary edge ahead of the Super Over. A bull-pen would have come in handy that day.
18th over: South Africa 104-2 (de Kock 61, Markram 2) It’s raining at Headingley, though it isn’t yet heavy enough for the players to come off. Another decent over from Curran, with the exception of an off-side wide.
“I would say Curran’s strongest suit is in one-day cricket,” says Colum Fordham. “He hasn’t got the speed for Test cricket but his variations are tailor-made for the shorter format and his batting is aggressive too.”
17th over: South Africa 101-2 (de Kock 60, Markram 1) “Hi Rob,” says Julian Menz. “I really wish Tanya’s article was open for comments, as I suspect even us club-level cricketers have suffered heat exhaustion at some point, and it is an extremely serious issue. She mentions the protective gear, and spending hours at the batting crease sweating in a helmet in 30C+ is nightmare-inducing.
“I realise the obvious differences (footballers run a lot more for one), but the football World Cup has been moved from the Qatar summer. A batter compiling a high score might spend many hours ensconsed in stifling clothing, exposed to the sun. As someone who suffers easily from heatstroke, it never ceases to amaze me how they don’t just pass out.”
Updated
WICKET! South Africa 99-2 (van der Dussen c Bairstow b Rashid 26)
The mid-innings wickettaker strikes again. van der Dussen sweeps Rashid straight to deep square leg, where Bairstow takes a simple catch. That’s a useful wicket for England given van der Dussen’s record.
16th over: South Africa 97-1 (de Kock 58, van der Dussen 25) No real movement for Curran, so he is mixing things up. A surprise short ball is eased majestically over Buttler’s head for a one-bounce four by de Kock, a shot that has Mike Atherton citing Brian Lara. There’s no higher praise for a left-hander.
15th over: South Africa 92-1 (de Kock 54, van der Dussen 24) Adil Rashid comes into the attack. He remains a crucial figure, who has taken more ODI wickets than anyone in the world since the 2015 World Cup, but at 34 it does feel like he is slightly on the wane. Don’t ask me who replaces him in the medium term, though England have the 17-year-old leggie Rehan Ahmed with the squad today.
de Kock glides his first ball for four and then clatters a filthy delivery to the cover boundary to bring up a high-class fifty from 39 balls. An unusually scruffy start from Rashid includes an off-side wide,. which makes it 11 from the over.
Updated
14th over: South Africa 81-1 (de Kock 45, van der Dussen 23) Sam Curran, the player of the match on Friday, replaces Topley (5-0-34-0). Four years on from his England debut, Curran remains a hard cricketer to judge - I’m not sure what his strongest suit is, or his strongest format, or whether he’s actually any good. But I do know that he’s very likeable.
His first over is a quiet one, culminating in an unsuccessful appeal for caught behind when van der Dussen misses a hook.
13th over: South Africa 78-1 (de Kock 43, van der Dussen 22) Only one wicketkeeper has made more ODI hundreds than de Kock, the phenomenal Kumar Snagakkara. Interesting to see Shai Hope so high on the list.
Meanwhile, van der Dussen reverse sweeps Moeen for a couple and then cracks a wide ball to the cover boundary. He has moved in his usual unobtrusive way to 22 from 25 balls.
12th over: South Africa 71-1 (de Kock 42, van der Dussen 16) More delightful batting from de Kock, who skims a fullish delivery from Topley past extra cover for four. He has timed the ball exquisitely this morning and already looks a decent bet for his 18th ODI hundred.
11th over: South Africa 65-1 (de Kock 37, van der Dussen 16) van der Dussen premeditates a lap for four off Moeen. Buttler knew what was coming and moved across to the leg side, but he ended up running past the ball.
The early signs are that South Africa will be looking for a score of at least 300.
Updated
10th over: South Africa 60-1 (de Kock 36, van der Dussen 12) Topley replaces Willey, and his first ball is timed classily to the cover boundary by de Kock. The placement was immaculate, straight between the men at point and short extra.
He opens the face at the last second to glide another boundary to third man, a difficult shot made to look offensively easy. He has raced to 36 from 28 balls.
“A childish person might frame this as a battle between Willey and de Kock,” says Matt Dony. “But we’re above that.”
9th over: South Africa 51-1 (de Kock 27, van der Dussen 12) Moeen has his first bowl at de Kock, who times a beautiful drive through extra cover for his fourth boundary. He’s looking good here, ominously so for England.
8th over: South Africa 44-1 (de Kock 20, van der Dussen 11) Consecutive boundaries for de Kock off Willey. The first was snicked through the slips after a mow across the line, the second ramped deftly round the corner from well outside off stump.
van der Dussen makes it three boundaries in four balls with an uppish drive through the covers. A good over for South Africa, 13 from it.
7th over: South Africa 31-1 (de Kock 12, van der Dussen 7) Moeen Ali is coming into the attack, a brave and interesting move given we’re still in the Powerplay.
His second ball is edged through the vacant slip area for four by van der Dussen, who then reverse sweeps a couple of runs to the same area.
6th over: South Africa 25-1 (de Kock 12, van der Dussen 1) The new batter is Rassie van der Dussen, the man with the highest average in ODI history (min 20 innings).
WICKET! South Africa 24-1 (Malan c Roy b Willey 11)
Malan has struggled to line up Willey this morning, and now he’s gone. He reached for a delivery angled across him, possibly with a scrambled seam, and sliced it straight to Roy at point.
Updated
5th over: South Africa 24-0 (Malan 11, de Kock 12) de Kock has started well but the right-handed Malan is still getting his eye in. After making 2 from 13 balls, he scrunches a half volley through mid-off for a relieving boundary.
He gets another boundary later in the over, walking down the track to slam a short ball over mid-off. Love-15.
4th over: South Africa 14-0 (Malan 2, de Kock 11) Too straight from Willey, and de Kock times the first boundary of the day through midwicket.
3rd over: South Africa 9-0 (Malan 2, de Kock 6) de Kock is beaten, driving at a tempting awayswinger from Topley. There’s a bit happening for the England bowlers, so Topley continues to pitch the ball up. de Kock leans into a nice push-drive through extra cover and comes back for three.
2nd over: South Africa 5-0 (Malan 2, de Kock 3) There’s a hint of swing for David Willey, and Janneman Malan is beaten by the one that doesn’t come back in. Willey starts with a good maiden.
1st over: South Africa 5-0 (Malan 2, de Kock 3) Reece Topley has taken 11 for 76 in his last three ODIs, many of them with the new ball. It takes him a few deliveries to find his range, but his last is a jaffa that straightens past the outside edge of Quinton de Kock.
Updated
The players are out, and the in-form Reece Topley will bowl the first over.
Cricket and climate change
This is another terrific piece from Tanya Aldred, who was one of the first, if not the first, to raise awareness of the subject.
🏴🇿🇦 TOSS & TEAM NEWS
— England’s Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) July 24, 2022
South Africa win the toss and will bat first in the series decider at Headingley 🏏#ENGvSA pic.twitter.com/kxTd8jgUlI
Updated
It’s a pleasant, sunny morning in Headingley, which contradicts the forecast. There’s a chance of rain later, although you never really know with these things.
Team news
Both teams are unchanged. Next!
England Roy, Bairstow, Salt, Root, Buttler (c/wk), Livingstone, Ali, Curran, Willey, Rashid, Topley.
South Africa Malan, de Kock (wk), van der Dussen, Markram, Klaasen, Miller, Pretorious, Maharaj (c), Nortje, Ngidi, Shamsi.
South Africa win the toss and bat
So much for it being advantage to bowl. Keshav Maharaj says the pitch looks a bit dry, so South Africa want to give their spinners the best chance to take wickets.
Jos Buttler says England were “a bit 50/50” but would probably have bowled.
Some significant news from Scotland
BREAK: The board of Cricket Scotland has resigned with immediate effect. Follows 'devastating' review that found Scottish cricket to be 'institutionally racist. Our report yesterday @SkyNews https://t.co/gTks8ZAFro via @YouTube
— James Matthews (@jamesmatthewsky) July 24, 2022
Ali Martin’s preview
Preamble
Sunday: the day of rest. And, in English cricket in July 2022, of resolution. For the second consecutive Sunday, England are involved in an ODI series decider. A week ago they bowed to the genius of Rishabh Pant at Old Trafford a week ago; today, they will hope for a better outcome against South Africa at Headingley.
Bilateral series tend not to tattoo themselves on the brain - if you don’t believe me, try naming the England XI for the first ODI against the Netherlands last month, and then try listing the Netherlands XI - but they occasionally find a home in the subconscious. This is a quietly important game for an England team who have suffered a crisis of confidence in the last few weeks.
In a world where perception increasingly trumps reality, the line between blip and terminal decline can be gossamer-thin. If England lose a third consecutive white-ball series, the end-of-an-era talk will be amplified. But if they win they will feel a whole lot better about their life going into the T20 series on Wednesday.
We haven’t said this too often over the last seven years, but England need more from their batters. They started the ODI summer by almost scoring 500 against the Netherlands; since then they haven’t reached 300.
Jos Buttler would also like a bit more luck with the toss. He lost important ones against India at the Oval and South Africa at Chester-le-Street. With a mixed forecast at Headingley, it will surely be a decent advantage to bowl first.
The match begins at 11am, with the toss at 10.30am.
Updated
