|
| James Anderson reacts as Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers attempt to take a run, at Trent Bridge, on Wednesday |
Nottingham: South Africa routed England by seven wickets in their fifth and final one-day International at Trent Bridge, to tie the series 2-2.
South Africa recovered from 14 for three to coast home on 186 for three with 15.3 overs remaining, after restricting England to 182.
Hashim Amla hit an unbeaten 97, while Proteas captain AB de Villiers made 75 not out. James Anderson had England's best bowling figures with 2/41.
Earlier, South Africa’s Robin Peterson claimed 3/37 as the hosts were all out with 4.4 overs to spare.
England captain Alastair Cook made 51, but Chris Woakes and Craig Kieswetter were the next highest scorers, with 33 not out and 33 respectively.
Left-arm spinner Peterson was enterprisingly given the new ball by Proteas captain AB de Villiers.
Fast bowler Dale Steyn, a more familiar new-ball operator, took two for 24 in nine.
Cook (51), who won the toss on a sunlit afternoon, and wicket-keeper Kieswetter (33) made more than 29 amongst a top six without the injured Jonathan Trott.
Recalled paceman hit a career-best 33 not out. Peterson removed Ian Bell, playing down the wrong line, lbw for 10 with the opener wasting England’s lone review on a plumb decision.
Ravi Bopara, promoted up the order in Trott’s absence despite a run of low scores, was then caught behind by wicket-keeper De Villiers off Steyn for his second nought in four innings.
England were now 24 for two and, not for the first time in his brief international career Jonathan Bairstow, in for Trott, who had his hand broken by Steyn during England’s six-wicket win at Lord’s on Sunday, came in with his side in dire straits.
Bairstow survived a tough chance to de Villiers on 10, and together with Cook shared a third-wicket stand of 55.
But he fell for 29 when a well-timed clip off pacer Morne Morkel flew straight to Justin Ontong at deep square leg. Left-hander Eoin Morgan then exited for a duck when he mistimed a drive off JP Duminy to Hashim Amla at mid-on.
Meanwhile Cook completed a 69-ball fifty with six fours.
But just when England needed him to press on Cook fell in soft fashion when he chipped a low return catch off a full toss to Faf du Plessis, the fourth spinner used.
| 
