England tour of South Africa 2023

[MenInG]

England Men's selection panel have named a 14-strong squad for the three-match ODI series against South Africa starting in January.

England Men's ODI squad:

Jos Buttler (Lancashire) Captain
Moeen Ali (Warwickshire)
Jofra Archer (Sussex)
Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Jason Roy (Surrey)
Phil Salt (Lancashire)
Olly Stone (Nottinghamshire)
Reece Topley (Surrey)
David Willey (Northamptonshire)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)

Sussex and England quick Jofra Archer returns to an England squad for the first time since March 2021. He is recovering well from an elbow injury and is expected to return to international cricket in South Africa next month.

Surrey seamer Reece Topley is making excellent recovery from his left ankle injury and is on track to be ready for the three-match series.

Yorkshire prolific batter Harry Brook, who has impressed in England colours this winter, is called up to the ODI squad for the first time and will be looking to add to his Tests and IT20 caps for the Three Lions.

Nottinghamshire dynamic batter Ben Duckett returns to the ODI set-up for the first time since 2016.

The three-match series will be played over six days, with matches in Bloemfontein and Kimberley. The first match starts on 27 January in Bloem, and the final game will be on 1 February in Kimberley.

 

[James]

Good squad on the whole.

They are strongly backing Roy.
Will he come good?

Hopefully a thrilling ODI debut series for Brook and a successful return for Duckett & Archer.

Looking forward to this mini tour very much.

 

[Robert]

And Wasam Acurran is back too!

 

[SamNJ]

No Joe Root in white ball cricket ?

 

[MenInG]

Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) National Selection Committee has today named a strong 16-man squad for the upcoming three-match Betway One-Day International (ODI) Series against England from 27 January - 01 February in Bloemfontein and Kimberley.

All-rounder Sisanda Magala makes his return to the national setup, along with Marco Jansen, with both players hoping to add to their three 50-over caps.

Recently appointed red-ball coach Shukri Conrad will oversee the series as the Proteas seek to secure qualification points for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. The squad will assemble in Bloemfontein from 24 - 25 January.

Proteas ODI squad against England

Temba Bavuma (captain, DP World Lions), Quinton de Kock (Momentum Multiply Titans), Reeza
Hendricks (DP World Lions), Marco Jansen (Dafabet Warriors), Heinrich Klaasen (Momentum Multiply Titans), Sisanda Magala (DP World Lions), Keshav Maharaj, (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Janneman Malan (Gbets Rocks), Aiden Markram (Momentum Multiply Titans), David Miller (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Anrich Nortje (Dafabet Warriors), Wayne Parnell (Six Gun Grill Western Province), Kagiso Rabada (DP World Lions), Tabraiz Shamsi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Rassie van der Dussen (DP World Lions).

Convener of Selectors Victor Mpitsang commented: “The selection panel is particularly excited by the depth of this squad, with a mix of youth and experience. We are confident that this group of players will take us one step closer to qualifying for the ICC Men’s World Cup in India later this year.

“We are also pleased with the inclusion of Sisanda and the commitment he has shown to meet the fitness standards required for national selection.

“The three-match series against England will kickstart our international home season following months on the road, and we would like to wish Temba and Shukri well in what will no doubt be an exciting series against quality opposition.”

Director of Cricket Enoch Nkwe added: “Shukri will oversee the series in consultation with Rob (Walter), who is currently in New Zealand as he prepares to assume his role ahead of the start of his tenure as limited-overs coach, which comes into effect from 01 February.”

South Africa Betway ODI Series

Friday, 27 January – 13:00
South Africa vs England – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein

Sunday, 29 January – 10:00
South Africa vs England – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein

Wednesday, 01 February – 13:00
South Africa vs England – The Oval, Kimberley

 

[MenInG]

Jofra Archer's return headlines an otherwise low-key one-day series in South Africa that begins a crucial year for the England men's team.

Fast bowler Archer, 27, is set to play for England for the first time in almost two years on Friday (11:00 GMT).

The three-match series begins a 2023 in which England will look to defend the 50-over World Cup and regain the Ashes.

The opener is in Bloemfontein, as is Sunday's second game, before a finale in Kimberley on Wednesday.

The series is rescheduled from 2020, when England left South Africa after a number of positive coronavirus tests.

In order for it to be played, the inaugural season of the South Africa T20 league has taken an eight-day break and will recommence on 2 February.

This tour and England's limited-overs trip to Bangladesh in March - also rescheduled from 2021 - come either side of a two-Test series in New Zealand in February, and only a handful of players are involved in both red and white-ball squads.

England, world champions in both limited-overs formats, will defend the 50-over title they won in 2019 in India in October and November.


Archer will get 'better and better'

Elbow and back injuries have prevented Archer from playing for England since a T20 series in India at the beginning of 2021.

He made his return to competitive cricket earlier this month in the South African T20 league, taking eight wickets in five matches for MI Cape Town.

The Sussex man bowled the super over in the final that helped England win the World Cup in 2019 and he would likely to be the leader of the attack in India later this year if he can stay fit.

He has expressed his desire to play in the Ashes, but his short-term future lies in limited-overs cricket, both for England and at the Indian Premier League.

"It's great to have Jofra back, fit and playing cricket again," said England captain Jos Buttler. "I think I speak on behalf of everyone - he's such an exciting guy to have back on the field.

"As an England captain, to have him in the team is brilliant. I'm sure he'll get better and better as he comes back.

"There's no expectation from my side on Jofra. He will come back and perform brilliantly because that is what he is able to do.

"He's coming back after a long time. The intensity in international cricket is different and he has had some significant injuries. It would be naïve to think it wouldn't take him a little bit of time to get up to 100%. It's just fantastic to see him fit and back playing again."


World Cup countdown starts now

England have played only 12 ODIs since the summer of 2021 and three of those were a bizarre series in Australia following their successful T20 World Cup campaign.

The series in South Africa and Bangladesh are England's last in terms of catching up from disruption caused by Covid-19 so, in theory, there should be less need for players to have to be shared between the Test and limited-overs sides.

Still, the layout of England's year - they play no ODIs between March and September - means every fixture serves as vital preparation for the World Cup.

A combination of injuries, rest and Test selection have left England without Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone and Mark Wood in South Africa.

Whereas England entered the 2019 World Cup with a side that had been settled for some time, there are vacancies in the middle order following the recent retirements of former captain Eoin Morgan and Test skipper Ben Stokes, even if Stokes himself and white-ball coach Matthew Mott have left the door open for the all-rounder to play at the World Cup.

"We have a World Cup ninth months away and don't have loads of games before that," said Buttler.

"They're all really vital games to give guys chances and exposure to the ODI format, and opportunities to nail down a place in the XI or 15 for the World Cup.

"There are two big names, Morgan and Stokes, who are not around anymore. They are big holes to fill, so that's exciting for guys to have that opportunity to put their hand up and stake a claim for those spots."


'Door open' for Stokes to return at World Cup

Opener Jason Roy is still searching for runs, having gone 14 international innings without registering a half-century and losing his place in the T20 squad before the World Cup.

Bairstow will return at the top of the order when he recovers from a broken leg, leaving Roy under pressure from the likes of Phil Salt, Dawid Malan, Alex Hales and Will Jacks.

Salt and Malan are in South Africa, though Salt has been suffering from illness and could miss Friday's game.

Harry Brook and Ben Duckett, who have both impressed in Test and T20 cricket, have the opportunity to press their claim in the ODI format before joining the Test team in New Zealand.

Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali continue as the frontline spinners, though with the World Cup taking place in India, England may need to find a third slow bowler as cover.

With Wood absent, Olly Stone joins Archer as a high-pace option, alongside regular white-ball seamers Chris Woakes, Reece Topley, David Willey and T20 World Cup player of the tournament Sam Curran.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma says the difficulties experienced by South Africa in recent months have brought them together and left them even more determined as they prepare to take on England in their three-match Betway One-Day International (ODI) series starting in Bloemfontein on Friday.

The hosts enter the series with their automatic World Cup qualification on the line as they aim to avoid a potential mid-year assignment with a positive outcome against the tourists.

The South Africans are presently 11th on the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League table, but a strong series could put them on the cusp of reaching the World Cup that takes place in India later in the year when their only other matches are a pair of games against bottom side the Netherlands.

However, a poor series against the English could lead to Bavuma and his charges having to play in a qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe. Either way, the captain is hoping they can make a good impression against reigning world champions England.

“We obviously know where we stand in terms of how many points and how many games we need to win out of the remaining matches,” the skipper told the media at the Mangaung Oval on the eve of the series. “Like always, we go out there to win every game and we're prepared for that.

“But we'd like to shift the focus a little bit building up the World Cup. I think there's an opportunity for us to really clear up our identity and how we'd like to play. We'd like to use these games as an opportunity to do that. You might see some new faces within the team, you might see guys come into different roles, but we'd really like to use the opportunity positively as we try to win the games.

“Everyone knows what they need to do and should it happen that in June and July we are playing in the qualifiers then that's what we're prepared to do. It's something everyone was prepared to do looking back at the decision that was made a couple of months ago to make way for the SA20. So those are cards in front of us and we'll deal with it as best as we can.”

His reference to the SA20 is the country’s new T20 domestic league that launched with a bang earlier this month. The series is taking place right in the middle of the inaugural season of the competition, meaning there has been little preparation time for the Proteas.

Most of the players, together with most of England’s squad, have been competing in the league and the players have joined their national ranks straight from their franchises this week.

“It is unique circumstances we find ourselves in, we usually have a couple more days before a series,” Bavuma said. “That being said, those are the circumstances we find ourselves in. Both teams I think are experienced enough to prepare as well as they can for what lies ahead.

“For us, we have had our challenges and I think those challenges in a lot of moments have brought us together, have made us a lot stronger as a unit and have strengthened our character. We'll definitely be pulling on that and we'll want to obviously show up in the next few games.”

England have already qualified for the 50-over World Cup that takes place in October and November. However, their strong team make them a formidable challenge for Bavuma and his side.

“It will be really big for us if we can beat England,” the captain added. “Big for our confidence and momentum. We know against England that we're going to be tested in all departments, batting, bowling and fielding, so there is no better opportunity for us to test our skills.”

The Proteas will be led by caretaker coach Shukri Conrad for the series. The 55-year-old was earlier this month appointed as South Africa’s new red-ball coach, but is taking charge of the team in the interim, before New Zealand-based Rob Walter arrives in the country next month.

 

[shamaan]

Roy
Phil Salt
Malan
Duckett
Brook
Buttler
Moeen Ali
Woakes
Sam Curran
Archer
Adil rashid

 

[Bewal Express]

A totally pointless ODI series with no meaning. Its time to scrap all T20 and ODIs outside WCs.

 

[Sunny_majoka]

A totally pointless ODI series with no meaning. Its time to scrap all T20 and ODIs outside WCs.

It means a lot for SA i guess, if they lose they'll have to play qualifiers

 

[Ab Fan]

A totally pointless ODI series with no meaning. Its time to scrap all T20 and ODIs outside WCs.

It matters for the players..They are part of preparation for WCs.

 

[Ab Fan]

What a terrible collapse from England!

146/0 in 19 overs and then they get bowled out at 271 under 45 overs only. They would have easily chased down 298 in 50 overs if someone would have just stood up one end. England missing Root and Stokes.

 

[Robert]

A totally pointless ODI series with no meaning. It’s time to scrap all T20 and ODIs outside WCs.

If SA lose three out of the next four matches they are out of the WC automatic qualification.

 

[Robert]

What a terrible collapse from England!

146/0 in 19 overs and then they get bowled out at 271 under 45 overs only. They would have easily chased down 298 in 50 overs if someone would have just stood up one end. England missing Root and Stokes.

Aye, Root coming in first drop and hitting his 70+ scores at batting rate 90/100 was critical to the WC win.

 

[Bewal Express]

If SA lose three out of the next four matches they are out of the WC automatic qualification.

And do they care. They have already forfeited matches to play other matches

 

[Front Foot Pull]

And do they care. They have already forfeited matches to play other matches

if you've watched yesterday's match you could clearly see that they do care. skipping AUS ODIs for SA20 was their board's decision, which they've made to take care of their finances.

 

[Front Foot Pull]

good start to the series by proteas. great win by excellent comeback in the game. want them to clean sweep.