Temba Bavuma century sets up South Africa for famous victory

The Proteas' captain struck his third ODI hundred before David Miller backed him up with a clinical fifty to give their country an unassailable lead in the three-match series

Bloemfontein: England 342-7, South Africa 347-5 - South Africa win by five wickets

Scorecard

Temba Bavuma struck a fine century as South Africa took an unassailable two-match lead in the ODI series against England.

The Proteas captain led the way for his country as they successfully chased down a victory target of 343 with time to spare.

Bavuma was largely untroubled in a high-class 109, only faced with jeopardy when he came down with cramp on 96. After a period of treatment, he drove his next ball to the extra cover fence to bring up a memorable third ODI hundred.

When the home skipper miscued an attempted scoop onto his stumps on 109, the Bloemfontein crowd stood to Bavuma, whose response to being unsigned in the SA20 competition has been emphatic.

He was well supported by contributions from the rest of his top six; Quinton de Kock (31), Rassie van der Dussen (38), Aiden Markram (49), Heinrich Klaasen (27) and David Miller (XX) all benefited from Bavuma's early assault and ensured momentum was never lost. His dismissal came with 23 overs still remaining, only for Miller to take up the mantle and guide his country home, with Marco Jansen (32*) for company.

^{Jos Buttler ended unbeaten on 94 for England (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)}

Earlier, Jos Buttler had played a similar captain's hand. He finished unbeaten on 94, playing a key role alongside Harry Brook, who made 80, in fixing an innings that was faltering at 82 for 3.

England had lost the toss in conditions at the start of the day that made batting challenging. Jason Roy was undone by a beauty from Lungi Ngidi, nipping one back between bat and pad having until then mostly swung the ball away from the opener. Dawid Malan, who had earlier bopped Ngidi for six over midwicket, was trapped in front by Wayne Parnell with a similar three-card trick.

Ben Duckett played a steady hand in guiding England through that early period, but he would rue his attempt to deposit Keshav Maharaj over long-on when in on 20. He could only find the hands of Janneman Malan, on as a substitute after de Kock had been taken to hospital for an X-ray on a damaged thumb. No fracture was found, and he returned to bat later.

That they would be chasing so high a total was down to Buttler's brilliance. Initially happy to play second-fiddle to Brook, who reached a first fifty in just his second ODI appearance, he plundered three sixes and eight fours in his 82-ball innings.

He was frustrated, though, at how little of the strike he had in the final overs, with Sam Curran (28) contributing a late cameo after Chris Woakes had struggled for timing, coming to the crease following Moeen Ali's excellent half century – a first since 2017.

^{David Miller was clinical for South Africa (Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images)}

By the time South Africa came to bat, any early assistance for the bowlers had disappeared, with England's seamers far less effective than the home side's.

Adil Rashid bowled Markram with a beauty and had van der Dussen caught on the reverse sweep, while there were two wickets for the impressive Olly Stone.

But Bavuma's knock and Miller's composure meant South Africa became the just the second side to successfully chase down more than 340 against England. They head to Kimberley with the series won and a World Cup place not yet certain but edging closer.

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