CRICKET: 400 to win

When a team needs to reach 400 to win an ODI, they’ve got a huge task ahead of them.

In fairness to South Africa, especially Quinton de Kock, they gave it a good go and when the rain began in Bloemfontein they were sitting on 250-5 and it looked like perhaps they might come close, despite England’s impressive haul led by Jos Buttler’s effortless knock of 105 off 76 balls. Alas, the loss of key wickets at key times for the hosts put an end to their charge.

They lost by 39 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method, a cruel way to be defeated. Any professional cricketer will be gutted to lose by a mathematical formula, but it is the way cricket goes.

For England it is another win as their ODI form continues to improve. Even though they were faced with some rather lacklustre bowling from the South Africans (J.P. Duminy and Farhaan Behardien both had economies of 9.00+) it still took the English batsmen to tear apart their attack, and they did so with ferocity. Buttler’s 105 was followed swiftly by Ben Stokes’ 57 off 38 balls. Alex Hales and Joe Root both contributed half centuries. Jason Roy was two runs away from his half century too. Even Moeen Ali contributed a modest 19 runs at the tail end of the order.

In response South Africa rallied around the exemplary de Kock while others batted in bit parts around him. Faf du Plessis made 55 before falling to Moeen but beyond that nobody made any sort of impact on the game with Rilee Roussow’s 19 the next top scorer for the hosts before the rain came tumbling down.

It is further reinforcement for Trevor Bayliss and Eoin Morgan that their newfound philosophy is working. Having made 350+ in just two of their first 645 ODIs, England have now hit that target five times in their last 15 and can rest safely in the knowledge that they have a genuine slugger in Stokes and rapid run scorers in the likes of Buttler and Root.

The second ODI will be held in Port Elizabeth on Saturday and, unless the South African bowlers can find a rapid turnaround in their fortunes, you would expect England to pick up a second victory handily such is the form their batters are currently in.

The Proteas at least have de Kock’s form to fall back on, but they will be concerned at the lack of runs notched by captain Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers and, of course, their inability to bowl effectively to a dangerous England attack. Russell Domingo will inevitably make changes for the second ODI, with Kagiso Rabada’s bowling an option to bring into their attack, but there will need to be a change in mentality too.

England simply need to maintain the status quo – give Buttler, Stokes and Root the freedom to go big or go home and they will rack up some big totals that their hosts will struggle to match. They are on the verge of overtaking Sri Lanka in the world rankings and a couple more wins should do that so that should be the target.

You would back them to do it easily.