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5 months ago
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This was a match ultimately decided by the difference in the power plays of England and South Africa. Quinton de Kock surged South Africa to 63-0 in their six overs and England just couldn’t get going in contrast, making 41 for one.
It was a case of de Kock winning the match-ups at the start of the game. It was no surprise that England started with the off-spin of Mooen Ali, a bowler who has dismissed him six times in T20s.
But the other match-up was in de Kock’s favour, because he loves batting against Jofra Archer.
It’s the natural line and length of Archer that the South African left-hander enjoys facing so much - delivering from close to the stumps and hitting the back of a length.
We have seen it in South Africa previously that de Kock just loves picking him off on the leg-side and that over that cost 21 runs was decisive.
This was a match ultimately decided by the difference in the power plays of England and South Africa
It was a case of de Kock winning the match-ups at the start of the game while at the crease
But the other match-up was in de Kock’s favour, because he loves batting against Jofra Archer
No batter likes it when the ball stops in the pitch a bit, but my one concern about England is that their players really like facing balls with pace on as we saw against West Indies earlier in the week.
This was not a minefield, just a slower pitch and if you look at where England have played their best cricket in this tournament, it has been Antigua when there was pace and bounce and here in St Lucia when there was pace and bounce against the Windies.
When it is a bit sticky they have to get a par score on the board or chase down a mid-range total.
England's pace bowler Jofra Archer (right) endured a tough bowling spell against De Kock
If Jos Buttler's team defeat the United States on Sunday to get into the semi-finals, they could end up facing India in Guyana
If Jos Buttler’s team defeat the United States on Sunday to get into the semi-finals, they could end up facing India in Guyana, for example, and they will need to address how to play on the kind of surface they were dealt here.
Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone showed they can cope with coming in during the middle overs and put the foot down straightaway, but despite England playing good cricket, they failed to get over the line.
South Africa have had some close games and keep managing to, which is actually the opposite of what they normally do in World Cups.
They tend to blast people away in tournament cricket at the start, then get some close games in a knockout situation and come unstuck. It could be a good sign for them.
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