CRICKET : England raced to a landslide seven-wicket victory at Port Elizabeth on the back of James Anderson’s maiden five-wicket haul to take an unbeatable 2-1 one-day series lead over South Africa.
England raced to a landslide seven-wicket victory at Port Elizabeth on the back of James Anderson’s maiden five-wicket haul to take an unbeatable 2-1 one-day series lead over South Africa.
Anderson (five for 23) was the irresistible force as England ushered their hosts out for only 119 in 37 overs.
Then the reliable Jonathan Trott bagged an unbeaten 52 to complete the job with minimum fuss and more than 18 overs to spare.
South Africa captain Smith lasted only four balls first thing – and then watched his team falter terminally, only Alviro Petersen (51) putting up worthwhile resistance on a pitch of evident easy pace and even bounce.
Smith went in the second over with only six on the board when Stuart Broad trapped him lbw and Hashim Amla followed shortly after when he clipped Anderson to Graeme Swann at short midwicket.
JP Duminy was early on a pull at Anderson and somehow looped a simple catch behind to Matt Prior and AB De Villiers followed him back to the pavillion, lwb to Tim Bresnan.
Anderson bowled Markj Boucher and then had Ryan McLaren caught a backward point for a duck. Johan Botha departed soon after, fencing a catch behind to give the Lancastrian his career-best figures in his 120th ODI.
Paul Collingwood nipped in for two wickets too – the first his 100th at this level – and although Petersen’s 73-ball 50 kept England waiting, he was last out to an athletic catch at mid-on by Luke Wright off Broad.
England’s successful reply appeared little more than a formality, with Trott striking seven boundaries in his 77-ball innings.
