Run Outs Cost England Against South Africa A
November 10, 2009 by Alex Homer
Matt Prior, Luke Wright and Tim Bresnan were all run out as England slumped to a four-wicket defeat against South Africa A in the Twenty20 warm-up in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
Rilee Rossouw and Vaughan van Jaarsveld joint top-scored with 23 as South Africa’s second string made light work of England’s 89 all out.
Graeme Swann continued his good form, as a surprise opening bowler, with two wickets for nine runs; his wicket tally matched by spin partner Adil Rashid.
The late wickets of Rory Kleinveldt, run out by Adil Rashid on 13, and van Jaarsveld caught off Saj Mahmood, flattered England’s efforts as, with 15 balls to spare, Cornelius de Villiers (1 not out) and Morne Morkel (0 not out) saw them home.
Andrew Strauss’s England had been in imperious touch in their first two warm-ups but, with the skipper rested and the T20 captaincy reverting to Paul Collingwood, struggled.
England only had 11 players available as James Anderson’s sore right knee kept him out and Stuart Broad was missing after jarring his shoulder against the Eagles. In a night of few positives, Graham Onions’s late appearance as a substitute fielder bodes well after his stiff back but Swann leaving the field late-on, with a sore side, does not.
South Africa A captain Justin Ontong won the toss and elected to field. His decision paid dividends early on as Joe Denly was caught behind off de Villiers for 7.
With the opposition full of relative unknowns, the reputation and physique of Morne Morkel towered above his teammates. The quick bowler went wicketless however as England wreaked the damage to their batting line-up all themselves.
Wickets fell regularly throughout with only Denly’s opening partner Alastair Cook showing some resistance, top-scoring with 23.
Three run-outs in three overs ruined any realistic chance of salvaging a defendable total as Prior(1), Wright(2) and Bresnan(4) were found wanting.
South Africa’s form book
Jean Paul Duminy was at his frenetic best meanwhile today as his maiden ODI century, 111 not out from 87 balls, saw South Africa to a 2-0 series win over Zimbabwe.
Jacques Kallis was also fluid with 81; Graeme Smith effective with 53 in the 212-run victory at Centurion. The Proteas will hit the ground running in the first T20 International against England on Friday.
Zimbabwean spinner Ray Price’s 6-99 over both ODIs is encouraging for England as the South African wickets may provide assistance for Swann and Rashid whose form, if not fitness, is proven.
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