The loss in the third match put them in a perilous position as countries compete for the eight automatic qualification slots for this year's 50-over World Cup, which will be held in India at the end of the year.
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Returning bowler Jofra Archer and white-ball specialist Jos Buttler led England to victory on Wednesday, denting South Africa’s chances of qualifying directly for this year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. Archer bowled his best ODI numbers of 6/40 in only his second international game following a long-term injury, while Buttler hit his 11th ODI century as England defeated South Africa by 59 runs at Kimberley.
Buttler’s 131-run performance was ably supported by Dawid Malan’s 118 at the top of the order, with the pair putting on 232 for the fourth wicket after the hosts had reduced England to 3/14 in the sixth over. South Africa won the three-game series 2-1, but the loss in the third match put them in a perilous position as countries compete for the eight automatic qualification slots for this year’s 50-over World Cup, which will be held in India at the end of the year.
Earlier, England was sent into bat and faced a wild Lungi Ngidi with the new ball. In his first three overs, the big bowler took three wickets. Jason Roy was the first to go, chipping a straightforward catch to mid-off in the match’s second over. Ben Duckett quickly followed, undone by the extra bounce and nicking one to the keeper. For Harry Brook, Ngidi’s third victim, an inside edge proved fatal. But it was all one-way traffic until Buttler and Malan joined hands for the stunning 232-run stand. The duo began slowly, selecting one and twos before opening up on the other side of the drinks break once spin was added from both ends. Shamsi dropped Malan on 46 after he couldn’t hold onto a difficult return catch, but the partnership provided little else.
South Africa now sits ninth in the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League standings with 79 points and must now wait to see if they will qualify automatically. The forthcoming series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka will be crucial to the final standings, while the Proteas still have two more matches on their schedule, including a home game against the Netherlands at the end of March, that could resuscitate their prospects.
The forthcoming series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka will be crucial to the final standings, while the Proteas still have two more matches on their schedule, including a home game against the Netherlands at the end of March, that could resuscitate their prospects. While the top eight teams in the Super League standings qualify directly for the 50-over World Cup, the remaining teams can still advance through the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which is set to take place in Zimbabwe in the middle of the year.
The five remaining countries, plus five Associate teams, will compete for the final two World Cup spots, and South Africa, West Indies, and Sri Lanka may have to follow this route if they do not finish in the top eight in the Super League standings.
