England clinched the Series 2-0 in a thrilling fashion by 2 runs with an ODI still to play as Mark Wood held his nerve to defend 6 runs of the final over of the innings, despite with two set batsman at the crease hitting hard prior to the final over.
For the most part of the chase, South Africa looked in control even with the departure of Amla and Duplessis after their start to the innings but Dekock and De Villiers sailed the ship through middle overs and it seemed all too easy when coming to required rate.
Dekock 98 featured many swings and misses to the short of the length deliveries but that didn't stop him playing his natural game and fell short of a maiden hundred in England soon after De Villiers found clipping his glove to Butler in trying to avoid a short ball which followed him from Lian Plunkett.
Miller and Behardien looked rusty through later part of the chase as run rate started to creep up 11& 12 an Over and the wicket of Behardien came as timely one for South Africa as Chris Morris powered boundaries around the ground alongside Miller who seemed to came into his own as he gained momentum despite the slow start with a much needed fifty.
At this stage, things started to fall in place for South Africa as boundaries came with ease and the penultimate over almost cost the match for England as Jake Ball conceded 13 runs with only 6 runs in the bag for Wood. If Proteas struggled to a bowler in the innings that has to be Wood with his extra pace and he was right up in the blockhole and with short balls, one off them eventually gone in his favor as the umpire hasn't signaled a wide of the penultimate ball.
While the England Innings seemed the same way as the first ODI as Roy cleaned up early by Rabada with his extra pace with that early breakthrough Root and Hales nudged the ball all round to a cautious approach and at the end of powerplay both got their eye in the middle.
And with trying to attack Pretorius from the start of the innings Hales tried to cut a short of a length ball and in trying so only found Dekock standing up to the stumps as extra bounce surprised him off late. While the in came Captain in-form used his feet to Pretorius as they targeted him as the weak link in the attack.
But Root got out in an unlucky fashion as he found not backing off enough at the non-striker's end when Morgan driving the ball starlight. At this stage, South Africa was in total control of the match with 3/80 in the 16th over of the match and Stokes could have been out without facing a ball if the fielder at covers had hit the stumps.
The over later from Maharaj was a peach one to face for Stokes as he edged the consecutive balls one through Anla at first slip and to Dekock which was a tough one but should have been taken and it turned out to be the turning point for England in settling the total as they liked and Proteas found nowhere near their standards in the field as Amla once again dropped Stokes at deep square leg later in the innings.
With anything, they touching to be edging all over the place the pair were tried to play of the overs but punished the medium pacers when they needed to. But when Devillers thought the things falling off his hands he brought on his main man and Rabada hasn't disappointed his captain with picking the opposition Captain.
But that wicket didn't bother anything to Stokes has he unleashed his arms to swing them downtown and brought up his second century of his Career and Butler who played the second fiddle through the partnership of Stokes accelerated in no time to brought up his fifty. At the end, he along with Moeen scored 78 in last 6.4 overs to take England to 330.
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