END OF OVER:45 | 1 Run 2 Wkts | SA: 267/10 (73 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 5.93, RRR: 14.60)
- Imran Tahir0 (0b)
- Chris Woakes8-0-38-4
- Moeen Ali9-0-50-2
9.50pm: Well, it's been a rollicking start to this Champions Trophy undercard. David Hopps' report should be your next destination, for a comprehensive run through; Gnasher, Miller and myself will be back for more with the Ageas Bowl and Lord's matches on Saturday and Monday. Yawkshur did us all proud tonight. As ever, thanks for your comments... Cheerio!
9.40pm: Right, here we go with the presentations... South Africa captain AB de Villiers: "England played phenomenally well with the bat, credit to Morgs for the hundred. They dominated the bowling and manipulated us, probably 20-30 above par and we didn't bat well enough. But congrats to them. [England 198-5?] I was very excited at that time, went for the attacking fields, but unfortunately things didn't go our way. We lost our way in the early 40s, but other than that wasn't a bad bowling performance. We didn't get going with the bat. [Went with extra batting?] That was the feel we had for this ground, it was a big call not to try and get Morne Morkel in, but it's easy to say that now. Couldn't get a partnership going [with the bat] and at the end of the day we were outplayed. [Champs Trophy?] We all have a bit of pressure, all contenders to win. They played better tonight, hopefully we'll be better in the next game."
England captain Eoin Morgan: "Very pleasing, pretty good day at the office for us, having lost the toss and batted first. The parthersnips we built, gave us the best opportunity to get a par score and beyond. I didn't necessarily play a lot of games at the IPL, which was disappointing, but to get a few runs in the Ireland game and to to continue that here was nice. [Moeen selection] If he didn't get any runs or had a bad day, I'd pick him again. He's made some huge contributions for us. That's the trick in chasing, we thought it got harder as the balls got older, managed to break partnerships at the right time. [Stokes injury?] I don't know, it's in his knee, no significant swelling. He was able to bowl but I didn't need him. A couple of days with ice on it will do him good. [Give squad games?] We want to win every game and if we can do that with all of our players fully fit, then we'll put out our strongest team every time."
Moeen Ali is named Man of the Match: [Pleased by batting?] "Yeah definitely, I wasn't batting that well but yesterday I had a good hit with Paul Farbrace indoors. I've been in that situation in the past but I tried to get in and give myself a chance. The pitch had a bit of everything in it. When Stokesy plays, I have a better chance of playing, but shows how good the side is. Tried to bowl into the wicket, little bit shorter, and a few balls went straight up. [Competition for places good?] Yeah 100%, looking at the past, Australia have had the same situation, so with Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings and Jake Ball coming in, shows how good we are."
9.30pm: Well, that was a more routine England win than I suspect most were imagining at the halfway stage. Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis had built a pretty useful platform with their 112-run second-wicket stand but no one really fired for South Africa thereafter; though AB de Villiers threatened, he couldn't find a partner and the last six wickets went down for 59, the majority of which came from Parnell and Rabada once the gig was up. Eoin Morgan's hundred led the way for the hosts and Moeen Ali then skewered the Proteas with an unbeaten 77 off 51 and 2 for 50 with the ball. Job done.
K Rabada c †Buttler b Woakes 19 (23m 21b 1x4 1x6) SR: 90.47
Imran Tahir is in at No. 11, Rabada on strike
WD Parnell c Wood b Woakes 19 (36m 23b 2x4 0x6) SR: 82.60
"Mo for man of the match? Great all-round performance from him today." He's a candidate, Damian, along with Morgan... Unless Parnell wins it from here, of course
Chris Woakes replaces Plunkett now. Six overs left...
END OF OVER:44 | 13 Runs | SA: 266/8 (74 runs required from 36 balls, RR: 6.04, RRR: 12.33)
- Kagiso Rabada18 (17b)
- Wayne Parnell19 (21b)
- Moeen Ali9-0-50-2
- Liam Plunkett9-0-42-1
They couldn't, could they? Imran Tahir is last man, remember...
The rate still hovering in just about manageable territory. Does Parnell have a bit of James Faulkner in him?
END OF OVER:43 | 8 Runs | SA: 253/8 (87 runs required from 42 balls, RR: 5.88, RRR: 12.42)
- Wayne Parnell18 (20b)
- Kagiso Rabada6 (12b)
- Liam Plunkett9-0-42-1
- Moeen Ali8-0-37-2
Here's Marc, already picking through the bones: "Reckless performance from SA, Morris reverse sweep? This SA team still lack killer instinct, just don't know when to accelerate, rely on other teams playing badly. England bowling very average."
Liam Plunkett returns after one over from Root. SA's asking rate is nearly two runs a ball now
END OF OVER:42 | 9 Runs | SA: 245/8 (95 runs required from 48 balls, RR: 5.83, RRR: 11.87)
- Wayne Parnell11 (15b)
- Kagiso Rabada5 (11b)
- Moeen Ali8-0-37-2
- Joe Root1-0-4-0
"Is the chirping Saoirse, that lady who acted in 'The Host'?" I haven't a Scooby, Hari. Saoirse?
