Proteas claim victory in soggy, farcical affair

Wet, wild and forgettable. The first T20 International in Cardiff was also won by South Africa, who successfully defended 69 off five overs, emerging victorious by 14 runs. 

It was all a bit farcical and the South Africans, already enduring a spate of injuries will hope no else got hurt while fielding on a treacherous outfield, which former England captain, Eoin Morgan, commentating on TV said wasn‘t fit for horses, let alone fast bowlers. 

England, who’d named their starting XI on Tuesday, decided to swap Jofra Archer out, bringing Luke Wood into the starting team. SA didn’t do the same with Kagiso Rabada, probably because they’re down to the bare bones in their squad. 

A match already delayed by more than two hours by rain, and initially reduced to a nine-overs-a-side contest didn’t get that far in either innings because of more showers.

South Africa faced 7.5 overs, scoring 97 runs for the loss of five wickets. 

Aiden Markram smacked two straight sixes and the same number of fours making 28 off 14 balls. 

Donovan Ferreira, back in the starting team for the first time since December, and Dewald Brevis added 36 runs in a 15-ball partnership for the fourth wicket. The newly minted most valuable draftee in the SA20, played stylishly, hitting a trio of sixes — two against the cunning Adil Rashid — to finish with 23 off 10 balls. 

Ferreira’s striking was savage. He also crushed three sixes, finishing on 25 not out off 11 balls, and with Dave Miller absent will hope that with better weather in the remaining two matches he can build on his start to the series, and stamp his ticket for next year’s World Cup.

The last of Ferreira’s sixes, off the penultimate ball of the eighth over, also signalled the end of the innings, with the rain pouring down once more. 

England’s innings started with Phil Salt hitting a leg-side half-volley from Rabada straight to Kwena Maphaka at deep backward square leg. After Ferreira caught Jacob Bethell at backward point, the match got the innings it deserved from the England captain Harry Brook, who faced four balls, missed the first three of those, and top edged the fourth to give Ryan Rickleton an easy catch. 

Once Corbin Bosch had dismissed Jos Buttler for 25, the contest was effectively over.

The Proteas’ playing resources are being severely tested. Already without Miller, on Thursday the team’s management confirmed that Lungi Ngidi would also miss the series with a right hamstring strain — the same ailment as Miller.

Nandre Burger, will join the squad ahead of the second match in Manchester on Friday. 

The Proteas will hope that Keshav Maharaj’s left groin strain, which he picked up while warming up ahead of Wednesday’s clash, forcing him out of the starting XI, isn’t serious and that he’ll be fit for Old Trafford.