South Africa secured the ODI series against England on Thursday with one match still left to play. The Proteas won the second game by just five runs at Lord’s, in what turned out to be a dramatic and exciting contest.
The star of the day was Matt Breetzke. The 26-year-old batter, who came into the team in place of the unwell Wiaan Mulder, played a brilliant innings of 85 runs. His performance created history once again. The talented batter became the first player in ODI cricket to score at least fifty runs in each of his first five matches.
Breetzke’s knock lasted 77 balls and gave South Africa stability after they had lost three wickets early. He scored 85 runs and formed a big 147-run stand with Tristan Stubbs, who scored 58. Earlier, opener Aiden Markram had made a useful 49. With these contributions, South Africa, batting first, reached a strong total of 330 for eight in their 50 overs.
Captain Temba Bavuma was pleased with the total. “It was a more than competitive score. I definitely would have taken that when we were three wickets down,” Bavuma said after the match.
England, who had been bowled out cheaply for 131 in the first game at Headingley, gave a much stronger fight this time. They were chasing a record target at Lord’s but looked determined. Captain Jos Buttler led from the front, scoring 61 before he was undone by a clever slower ball from Lungi Ngidi. Will Jacks also kept England in the contest with 39 runs.
The home team never gave up, even as the required run rate climbed higher. The crowd was on the edge of their seats when Jofra Archer began hitting the ball powerfully in the final overs. He smashed 27* runs from only 14 balls, including two sixes, which created nervous moments for the Proteas.
England needed 16 runs from the last over with one wicket in hand, but they fell short and finished on 325 for nine. South Africa held their nerve and claimed a five-run win that gave them a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
It was a night to remember for Breetzke, who not only guided his team to victory but also made a special mark in cricket history.
