South African batters went all guns blazing against defending champions England in Mumbai on Saturday to post the highest total of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. Asked to bat first by the English skipper, three Proteas batters hit half-centuries and another crossed the three-digit mark to reach 399/7 in their 50 overs.
Heinrich Klaasen top-scored for South Africa, scoring 109 runs from just 67 deliveries. His swashbuckling innings included 12 boundaries and four enormous sixes. It was his third century of the year and fourth overall.
Reeza Hendricks, who opened the innings in place of sick skipper Temba Bavuma, made 85 from 75 balls (9x4, 3x6), while Rassie van der Dussen made 60 from 61 (8x4). However, it was Marco Jansen who matched Klaasen in giving hell to the English bowlers as he went on to make an unbeaten 75 runs from 42 deliveries. The bowling all-rounder punished England for six sixes and three boundaries.
None of the six Englishmen who were asked to bowl were respected by the South African batters as all of them went for over 6 runs per over. Reece Topley picked up three wickets in 8.5 overs but leaked 88 runs. Gus Atkinson and Adil Rashid picked two wickets each.
Klaasen and Jansen together pulled South Africa from the danger of being restricted to an at-par total.
While Klaasen had four sixes and 12 fours to show for his stupendous effort, Jansen also used long handle to a good effect, getting half a dozen maximums apart from three fours.
Klaasen regularly needed fluid intake during his innings but even while cramping up a bit didn't leave the pitch unlike a few English bowlers, who found the heat unbearable.
And even if he would have wanted to celebrate such a monumental knock more than he did a gesture towards the sky Klaasen did not have much left in his tank when he smacked Mark Wood (7-0-76-0) for a six and a four to complete his ton in the 47th over.
Klaasen and Jansen added 151 runs for the sixth wicket off just 77 balls, which is now a record for South Africa against England in ODIs as well as in World Cup history.
Earlier at the start, Reece Topley got one to swing and pitch on length, enticing Quinton de Kock (4) to go for a drive.
England's appeal was turned down but replays confirmed De Kock getting a thick edge on the fourth ball of the game as South Africa lost their most experienced player in these conditions without much contribution.
However, England had to manage without Topley as the tall left-arm quick left the field despite trying to manage an injury to his finger.
Van der Dussen led South Africa's recovery from the early blow and after taking some time to find his feet 13 balls to get off the mark Hendricks played some spectacular shots too.
The powerplay yielded 59 runs for South Africa who welcomed England's express pace bowler Wood with a flurry of fours in his first over.
Joe Root's (0/48) bowling workload increased given Topley joined the field only before the 30th over.
The South Africans were happy with the developments given Root not posing any real threat and when the off-spinner came around the wicket, Hendricks smacked him for two outstanding sixes over cover to keep marching on.
But Adil Rashid (2/61) struck twice in the middle overs to keep England in the hunt. A slow, tossed up delivery had van der Dussen mis-hitting in the air and caught by Jonny Bairstow and not much later, he had Hendricks chopping on to be dismissed a few short of his second ODI century in five years.
- With PTI inputs
