England’s disastrous white-ball form has not improved since the arrival of Test head coach Brendon McCullum and they have been dumped out of the Champions Trophy before this final group game after defeats to Australia and Afghanistan.
They will be looking to restore pride against this South African team, who beat Afghanistan before seeing their game with Australia rained out.
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South Africa vs England cricket tips
- South Africa to win @ 3/4
- Ben Duckett top England batter @ 4/1
- Kagiso Rabada top South Africa bowler @ 23/10
England’s woes to continue
Since doing the white-ball World Cup double in 2019 and 2022, England’s form in T20 and one-day internationals has been extremely poor.
Defeats to Australia and Afghanistan mean that they have now suffered eight losses in their last nine one-day internationals and Jos Buttler was non-committal when asked if he would continue as captain following the latest poor performance.
England have not bowled well at all in their two Champions Trophy clashes. The flat pitches have not helped, but they have allowed totals of at least 325 in both games, taking 12 wickets across the two matches.
To add to that, they have given away their wickets far too cheaply when batting, with many of the lineup seemingly approaching an innings with a T20 mindset.
They also face a tough challenge against a South Africa team that is firmly on the up. The Proteas reached the final of the T20 World Cup last year, winning eight of their nine games at the tournament.
They were also comfortable winners over Afghanistan in their first match at the tournament, posting a solid total of 315/6 thanks in part to a Ryan Rickelton century before skittling their opponents for 208.
South Africa have won three of the last four one-day internationals between these two teams and are fancied to extend that run to increase the sense of crisis around English cricket.
Duckett to take starring role once more
Not many English batters have covered themselves in glory at this tournament but Ben Duckett has put in two very solid innings.
The opener made 165 from 143 balls in the first game against Australia before chipping in with a respectable 38 from 45 deliveries against Afghanistan.
Only Joe Root scored more than that in England’s innings so Duckett looks a solid bet to be his team’s top scorer.
Rabada key man for Proteas
Kagiso Rabada is widely considered to be one of the best bowlers in world cricket and showed his value to South Africa once again by taking 3/36 in their win over Afghanistan.
England have struggled against pace at the tournament, with Ben Dwarshuis leading bowler for Australia and Azmatullah Omarzai topping the charts for Afghanistan.
Side with Rabada to repeat the trick in this clash.
- South Africa to win @ 3/4
- Ben Duckett top England batter @ 4/1
- Kagiso Rabada top South Africa bowler @ 23/10
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All odds correct at time of writing.
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