England all-rounder Sam Curran scored a crucial 35 and picked a wicket as the hosts hammered South Africa by 118 runs in the second ODI at Old Trafford on July 22.
On a somewhat frustrating day for England they managed to claim a convincing victory in the second ODI to level the three-match series. In a rain-curtailed game, they came out victorious. Curran was the hero of the match for his all-round display, scoring a quickfire 35 off 18 and then picking an important wicket of David Miller.
After almost three hours of rain in Manchester, the match was reduced to 29 overs per side. South Africa won the toss and expectedly chose to field first. England continued their ultra-aggressive approach and found themselves in a massive hole early in the innings. They lost half the side for just 72 runs inside 12 overs.
Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone tried to rebuild the innings, but a wide tempter fished the skipper into a mistimed hit. Livingstone curbed his aggression for as long as he could until Anrich Nortje came into the attack in the 21st over. Livingstone smashed three back-to-back sixes and four but was caught at midwicket for 38 off 26, trying to pull a slow bouncer.
Curran looked in great touch from the get-go, stepping out to spinners and hammering them straight over the head. He blasted three sixes and two fours in his 35-run knock before he too was sucked into an aggressive shot. Dwaine Pretorius was the unlikely hero for the Proteas with the ball, who bowled brilliantly to pick 4 for 36. England managed to cross the 200-run mark somehow.
Chasing 202, South Africa got off to the worst possible start losing Janneman Malan and Rassie van der Dussen for a duck in the third over bowled by Reece Topley. Willey sent back de Kock on the very next ball while Aiden Markram was run out courtesy of some exceptional work from wicket-keeper Buttler. The Proteas were reduced to 6/4 in four overs.
Curran, on the first change, castled Miller with a back of a length cutter to put a further dent in South Africa’s chase. At the 10-over mark, the rain started drizzling down a bit, and England needed to bowl a minimum 20 overs to constitute a match.
After a bit of time wasting from Heinrich Klaasen, the hosts brought on spin from both ends. He scored 33 and but the scoreboard pressure meant he had to attack and was stumped off Moeen Ali’s bowling in the process. Adil Rashid then joined in the act, picking three wickets as they skittled South Africa for just 83.
Brief scores
England 201 in 29 overs (Livingstone 38, Curran 35; Pretorius 4/36) defeated South Africa 83 in 20.4 overs (Klaasen 33; Rashid 3/29, Topley 2/17) by 118 runs.
