English cricket team in South Africa in 2020–21

English cricket team in South Africa in 2020–21
 
  South Africa England
Dates 27 November – 9 December 2020
Captains Quinton de Kock Eoin Morgan
One Day International series
Twenty20 International series
Results England won the 3-match series 3–0
Most runs Rassie van der Dussen (136) Dawid Malan (173)
Most wickets Lungi Ngidi (4)
Tabraiz Shamsi (4)
Sam Curran (3)
Chris Jordan (3)
Player of the series Dawid Malan (Eng)

The England cricket team toured South Africa during November and December 2020 to play three One Day International (ODI) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.[1][2] However, the ODI matches were called off due to a COVID-19 outbreak.[3] The ODI series would have formed part of the inaugural 2020–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.[4][5]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the England team stayed in a bio-secure environment whilst in South Africa,[6] with the matches played in Cape Town and Paarl.[7] In October 2020, Cricket South Africa (CSA) made a plea to its parliament, saying that is of "critical importance",[8] while waiting on government approval for the tour to go ahead.[9] On 21 October 2020, both cricket boards agreed to the series, with the full tour itinerary being confirmed.[10][11]

England won the first two T20I matches to take an unassailable lead in the series.[12] England won the third match by nine wickets to take the series 3–0, with the victory putting England at the top of the ICC T20I Championship.[13]

The first ODI match, originally scheduled to be played on 4 December, was cancelled less than an hour before it was due to start,[14] after a South African player tested positive for coronavirus.[15] As a result, the fixture was moved back by two days.[16] However, on 6 December, the rescheduled match was abandoned after two members of the hotel staff tested positive for coronavirus.[17] Shortly after the match was called off, two members of England's touring party returned "unconfirmed positive tests" for the virus.[18] Later the same day, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that the second ODI, scheduled for 7 December, would not be played on that date.[19] On 7 December, the remainder of the ODI series was postponed.[20] Both cricket boards agreed to work on hosting the ODI series at another time.[21][22]

Squads

[edit]
ODIs T20Is
 South Africa[23]  England[24]  South Africa[25]  England[26]

Jake Ball, Tom Banton, Tom Helm were also named as reserves for England across both formats.[27] Kagiso Rabada was ruled out of South Africa's ODI squad after picking up a groin injury during the T20I series.[28] South Africa also rested Faf du Plessis, Pite van Biljon, Bjorn Fortuin and Reeza Hendricks for the ODI series.[29]

Practice matches

[edit]

A South Africa intra-squad warm-up match, due to take place on 21 November, was cancelled after two players tested positive for coronavirus.[30] A second match, scheduled to be played on 23 November, was also cancelled in an attempt to limit the impact of any possible infections.[31] Conversely, England played one 40-over intra-squad match and one 20-over intra-squad match,[32] with Jos Buttler and Eoin Morgan named as the team captains.[33]

21 November 2020
10:00
Scorecard
Team Buttler 
255 (39.1 overs)
v
 Team Morgan
205 (35.5 overs)
Joe Root 77 (77)
Tom Curran 4/25 (6.1 overs)
Chris Woakes 55 (41)
Lewis Gregory 3/18 (3.5 overs)
Team Buttler won by 50 runs
Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town
Umpires: Shaun George (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA)
  • Team Buttler won the toss and elected to bat.

23 November 2020
17:00 (D/N)
Scorecard
Team Morgan 
139/9 (20 overs)
v
 Team Buttler
141/4 (12.4 overs)
Moeen Ali 41 (40)
Olly Stone 3/12 (2 overs)
Sam Curran 45* (18)
Tom Curran 2/14 (2 overs)
Team Buttler won by 6 wickets
Boland Park, Paarl
Umpires: Shaun George (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA)
  • Team Morgan won the toss and elected to bat.

T20I series

[edit]

1st T20I

[edit]
27 November 2020
18:00 (N)
Scorecard
South Africa 
179/6 (20 overs)
v
 England
183/5 (19.2 overs)
Faf du Plessis 58 (40)
Sam Curran 3/28 (4 overs)
Jonny Bairstow 86* (48)
George Linde 2/20 (4 overs)
England won by 5 wickets
Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town
Umpires: Adrian Holdstock (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA)
Player of the match: Jonny Bairstow (Eng)
  • England won the toss and elected to field.
  • George Linde (SA) made his T20I debut.

2nd T20I

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29 November 2020
14:30
Scorecard
South Africa 
146/6 (20 overs)
v
 England
147/6 (19.5 overs)
Quinton de Kock 30 (18)
Adil Rashid 2/23 (4 overs)
Dawid Malan 55 (40)
Tabraiz Shamsi 3/19 (4 overs)
England won by 4 wickets
Boland Park, Paarl
Umpires: Shaun George (SA) and Adrian Holdstock (SA)
Player of the match: Dawid Malan (Eng)

3rd T20I

[edit]
1 December 2020
18:00 (N)
Scorecard
South Africa 
191/3 (20 overs)
v
 England
192/1 (17.4 overs)
Rassie van der Dussen 74* (32)
Ben Stokes 2/26 (3 overs)
Dawid Malan 99* (47)
Anrich Nortje 1/37 (4 overs)
England won by 9 wickets
Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town
Umpires: Bongani Jele (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA)
Player of the match: Dawid Malan (Eng)

ODI series

[edit]

1st ODI

[edit]
6 December 2020
10:00
Scorecard
v
Match postponed
Boland Park, Paarl
Umpires: Marais Erasmus (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA)

2nd ODI

[edit]
7 December 2020
13:00 (D/N)
Scorecard
v
Match postponed
Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town
Umpires: Marais Erasmus (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA)

3rd ODI

[edit]
9 December 2020
13:00 (D/N)
Scorecard
v
Match postponed
Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town
Umpires: Marais Erasmus (SA) and Bongani Jele (SA)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "England hope for six-match tour to South Africa this winter". Evening Standard. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  2. ^ "England expect South Africa tour go-ahead after quarantine agreement is reached". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  3. ^ "South Africa-England CWC Super League series postponed". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Schedule for inaugural World Test Championship announced". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Men's Future Tours Programme" (PDF). International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  6. ^ "England's winter tours: What is the current state of play?". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  7. ^ "England confident of touring SA". SA Cricket Mag. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  8. ^ "England tour of 'critical importance' - CSA plea to South African parliament". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  9. ^ "CSA await government approval for England tour next month". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  10. ^ "England men's white-ball team to tour South Africa". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  11. ^ "Proteas to play World Champions England next month". Cricket South Africa. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  12. ^ "Dawid Malan paces tricky chase to perfection to seal the series for England". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  13. ^ "South Africa v England: Dawid Malan & Jos Buttler share 167 as tourists win series 3–0". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  14. ^ "South Africa-England ODI called off amid Covid scare". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  15. ^ "South Africa vs England: First ODI postponed after Proteas player tests positive for coronavirus". Sky Sports. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  16. ^ "First ODI between South Africa and England postponed". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  17. ^ "South Africa v England: First ODI called off again after positive Covid tests". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  18. ^ "South Africa v England: Two members of tour party return 'unconfirmed positive' Covid tests". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  19. ^ "2nd ODI between England and South Africa will not take place". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  20. ^ "South Africa v England: ODI series called off after Covid-19 tests". BBC Sport. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  21. ^ "Remainder of England and South Africa ODI series postponed". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  22. ^ "CSA & ECB agree to postpone ODI series". Cricket South Africa. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  23. ^ "Uncapped Glenton Stuurnman in South Africa white-ball squads". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  24. ^ "South Africa v England: Ben Stokes named in Twenty20 squad for white-ball tour". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  25. ^ "CSA name Proteas squad for inbound England tour". Cricket South Africa. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  26. ^ "England confirm T20 and ODI squads for South Africa tour". The Cricketer. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  27. ^ "Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes, Sam Curran rested from England ODI squad in South Africa". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  28. ^ "Kagiso Rabada ruled out of England ODI series with groin injury". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  29. ^ "South Africa's team balance in focus with Faf du Plessis rested for ODI series". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  30. ^ "South Africa v England: Second home player tests positive for Covid-19". BBC Sport. 20 November 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  31. ^ "South Africa v England: Proteas squad training in separate groups". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  32. ^ "Olly Stone gives England selectors a nudge before Sam Curran and Joe Root seal warm-up win". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  33. ^ Martin, Ali (20 November 2020). "England squad match to go ahead as South Africa record second positive". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  34. ^ "Ominous signs for South Africa after England win ugly". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  35. ^ "Adil Rashid dazzles as England limit South Africa". News & Star. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  36. ^ "Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan blast England to T20 series whitewash of South Africa". Evening Standard. December 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  37. ^ "Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler smash England to top of T20I rankings with sweep of South Africa". Sky Sports. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
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