LONDON: South Africa clinched the ODI series against England with a game to spare Thursday after a five-run win in the second match that was set up by a record-breaking 85 by Matt Breetzke at Lord’s.
Brought in to the Proteas lineup to replace the ill Wiaan Mulder, Breetzke became the first player in ODI history to score at least a half-century in his first five matches, according to the ESPNcricinfo website.
The 26-year-old middle-order batter’s 77-ball knock added to a 49 from opener Aiden Markram and 58 from Tristan Stubbs as South Africa, which was put into bat, made 330-8 from its 50 overs.
“It was a more than competitive score. I definitely would have taken that when we were three wickets down,” Proteas captain Temba Bavuma said.
England was skittled for 131 on the way to losing the first match by seven wickets at Headingley on Tuesday but competed much better two days later, despite losing Jamie Smith to the first over of the reply.
It went down to the last over, off which England needed 16 with one wicket remaining, but some inspired hitting by tailender Jofra Archer (27 off 14 balls) couldn’t prevent the hosts falling just short on 325-9.