Publications
Partners
London - They gave themselves a great chance with the ball, but the Proteas threw wickets away to go down by 104 runs to England in their 2019 Cricket World Cup opener at The Oval on Thursday.
SCORECARD: England v South Africa, 2019 CWC opener
It didn't help that they lost opener Hashim Amla to a head injury in the fourth over of their chase after he received a sickening blow to the helmet from Jofra Archer, but the Proteas simply never batted well enough.
Archer was the chief destroyer, finishing with figures of 3/27, but the nature of the South African dismissals suggested that they deserved to lose on the day.
Amla would return in the 32nd over after undergoing a comprehensive concussion test, but by then the Proteas were 167/6 and in heaps of trouble.
They were eventually bowled all out for 207.
Quinton de Kock (68 off 74) and Rassie van der Dussen (50 off 61) had threatened to take the Proteas home, but neither could kick on and there was little else in the way of support.
Having restricted England to 311/8 after winning the toss, South Africa would have fancied their chances at dinner.
What followed, though, was a batting display confirming exactly why the Proteas have not been considered title contenders in the build-up to this tournament.
After Archer had effectively dismissed Amla, he then struck twice more in his opening spell with first Aiden Markram (11) and then Faf du Plessis (5) out playing poor shots.
Markram pushed at one away from his body to be snapped up at first slip, while Du Plessis went aggressively at another short delivery only to hit it straight down Moeen Ali's throat at fine leg.
That left the Proteas 44/2 with Amla's future participation in doubt.
In De Kock and Van der Dussen, South Africa finally got going and the pair put on an 85-run stand for the third wicket that got the Proteas back on track.
Ticking along at 129/2, the visitors were back in the hunt.
De Kock, though, tried one shot too many when he launched a non-threatening delivery on leg stump from Liam Plunkett straight to fine leg.
It was a killer blow for the Proteas, and things got even worse when JP Duminy unnecessarily lofted Ali to Ben Stokes at long-off.
With the required run rate never an issue, South Africa needed a few overs of consolidation.
Instead, Dwaine Pretorius (1) ran himself out trying to take on Stokes' arm from the deep cover fence. Pretorius should have been home comfortably, but his clumsy effort at making his ground cost him dearly as Eoin Morgan whipped off the bails.
Van der Dussen, joined by Andile Phehlukwayo, looked set until Archer came back for his second spell.
As news filtered through that Amla had been cleared to bat when the next wicket fell, Van der Dussen was rushed by another short delivery only to spoon his shot to mid-on and gift Archer his third.
That brought Amla back to the middle, but by then the writing was on the wall.
Phehlukwayo was out to one of the best catches you will ever when Stokes clawed one out of the sky on the deep mid-wicket fence off Adil Rashid. In that moment, it became clear that it was not to be South Africa's day.
With the required rate climbing and the Proteas stuck somewhat, Amla looked to force the issue but edged a slower ball bouncer from Plunkett to be on his way for 13.
Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir were the last two to fall.
Earlier, the Proteas had curbed an England batting performance that had threatened more than once to post something big with no less than four half-centuries from Stokes (89), Jason Roy (54), Joe Root (51) and Morgan (57).
The Proteas had sprung a surprise by giving Imran Tahir (2/61) the first over of the day, and when he had Jonny Bairstow out first ball, the Proteas looked well on their way at the World Cup.
But this England side is special.
Their batting recovered more than once as if nothing had happened, and with Archer leading their attack, they now look the complete package.
For the Proteas, there is no time to dwell.
A fixture against Bangladesh, also at The Oval, is on for Sunday. If it wasn't before, it is now a must-win for South Africa.
