JOHANNESBURG: England survived a late breakdown in the batting innings to level the series when they beat South Africa by two wickets in the third and last One-day International.
The English side were marching to triumph at 232 for four after leg-spinner Adil Rashid and other slow bowlers restricted the South African side to 256-7. However, quick bowler Lungi Ngidi, after having an awful start to the innings, struck multiple times one after another as England lost four wickets for 20 runs before Moeen Ali got the final and winning runs.
South African skipper Quinton de Kock praised his squad for squaring the series.
Man of the match Adil Rashid, playing in his 100th ODI ended his bowling spell after taking three for fifty-one. He also took the key wickets of South African skipper de Kock and Temba Bavuma.
David Miller lifted South Africa’s hopes towards the end of the innings with some exquisite hitting.He made 69 not out off 53 balls. He shared the eighth-wicket partnership with Lutho Sipamla of 52 runs which came from 32.
Joe Denly shared 76 runs partnership with Joe Root (49) and 70 runs with Tom Banton (32) for the fourth and fifth wickets.
Ngidi took the wickets of Tom Curran and Rashid before Ali finished England’s innings with winning runs.