England the best value for money

CRICKET WORLD CUP:THERE IS only one team to watch in this World Cup and it is England. They do not necessarily play the best cricket and they patently lack the flair of some of the other teams. But they provide the drama and the excitement.

Here, on a pitch that had the colour and texture of a digestive biscuit, they recorded their best victory in the World Cup since 1992, when South Africa were beaten twice and hosts Australia once before defeat in the final by Pakistan – not that there has been much competition over the past two decades.

Having been bowled out for a meagre 171 after some “criminal” (according to Andrew Strauss) batting from the upper order, England contrived victory by six runs with Stuart Broad taking two wickets in what proved to be the final over and four in the innings.

At various stages in the chase the game seemed to be up for England. Graeme Smith’s side were 63 without loss after 14 overs and 124 for three in the 32nd.

But England never lost faith on a pitch that was unreliable and which turned from the start. Suddenly their bowlers were back in Ashes mode rather than the bedraggled, lacklustre combination we had seen earlier.

Ravi Bopara, preferred to Paul Collingwood, who was omitted for woolly reasons – “a bit of fitness, a bit of form” – hit a restrained 60 and won the man-of-the-match award. Broad might have been given that accolade, but no one in the England camp was worrying about that. There is nothing better for morale than snatching an unlikely victory.

Now they can travel to Chittagong with a spring in their step, in the knowledge that a win against Bangladesh on Friday will guarantee a quarter-final place.

The vehemence of England’s post-match huddle betrayed what an escape they had perpetrated. Even though the pitch was so unreliable, 171 should not have been enough. Defending such a modest total, England tried to ape South Africa’s tactics by opening with a left-arm spinner. They did not have the same success. Robin Peterson had taken three wickets in his first three overs but Michael Yardy could nowhere near match that. With Hashim Amla in fluent form and Smith oozing muscular determination, South Africa cruised past 50 without loss.

Earlier, when England’s last six wickets fell for 37, with Imran Tahir’s wrist-spinners collecting another four wickets, England seemed doomed. Four hours later they were celebrating an unlikely win that may just have transformed their tournament.

* Guardian Service

Scoreboard:

ENGLAND v SOUTH AFRICA

in Chennai, England won the toss

England Innings

A Strauss c de Villiers b Peterson 0

K Pietersen c Kallis b Peterson 2

J Trott c b Imran Tahir 52

I Bell c b Peterson 5

R Bopara lbw b M Morkel 60

M Prior c van Wyk b M Morkel 10

M Yardy c Peterson b Imran Tahir 3

T Bresnan lbw b Steyn 1

G Swann c Duminy b Imran Tahir 16

S Broad lbw b Imran Tahir 0

J Anderson not out 2

Extras (b1 lb7 w12) 20

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Total (45.4 overs)171

Fall: 1-1, 2-3, 3-15, 4-114, 5-134, 6-148, 7-149, 8-161, 9-161.

Bowling: Peterson 8-2-22-3, Steyn 9-0-37-1, Morkel 7-0-16-2, Kallis 4-1-14-0, Imran Tahir 8.4-1-38-4, du Plessis 5-0-16-0, Duminy 4-0-20-0.

South Africa Innings

H Amla b Broad 42

G Smith c Prior b Swann 22

J Kallis c Prior b Broad 15

AB de Villiers b Anderson 25

F du Plessis run out 17

J Duminy b Anderson 0

M van Wyk b Bresnan 13

R Peterson c Prior b Yardy 3

D Steyn lbw b Broad 20

M Morkel c Prior b Broad 1

I Tahir not out 1

Extras (lb2 w4) 6

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Total (47.4 overs)165

Fall: 1-63, 2-75, 3-82, 4-124, 5-124, 6-124, 7-127, 8-160, 9-164.

Bowling: Yardy 9-1-46-1, Anderson 6-0-16-2, Bresnan 8-1-27-1, Swann 10-2-29-1, Broad 6.4-0-15-4 Pietersen 8-0-30-0.

England beat South Africa by 6 runs