Sloppy England crushed by Proteas

Published on Thursday 11 June 2009 23:42

ENGLAND captain Paul Collingwood admitted his team gave themselves no chance of victory against South Africa in last night's World Twenty20 clash following their abject batting display.

The hosts were bundled out for just 111 – their lowest total in a Twenty20 international – with the Proteas cruising to their target for the loss of three wickets.

"We didn't get off to a great start and never really got a partnership going to get us up to a total we could defend," said Collingwood. "You will only defend a total like that one in ten times. The wicket was playing well and you would need everything going in your favour to defend that total."

Although England did well to contain South Africa in reply, ultimately they were never able to defend their paltry score as the Proteas reached 114 for three with ten balls to spare. Jacques Kallis batted patiently for his 57 not out.

England, who crashed to an embarrassing loss to the Netherlands in the tournament opener last Friday before thrashing Pakistan, again showed inconsistency in their 19th Twenty20 match. Collingwood's team were on only 47 for three at the halfway stage and did not register 100 until the 18th over. Earlier, on the same ground, New Zealand were 94 for two after ten overs against Ireland.

England's innings was in almost immediate trouble, Ravi Bopara out in the first over – and the total was still only four when his opening partner Luke Wright followed in the next.

Kevin Pietersen drove his first two balls for four but was to fall victim to South African seamer Albie Morkel, who fittingly bowled the first maiden over of this tournament. He was not required again as England tumbled to their 111 total.

Left-arm seam bowler Wayne Parnell, 19, claimed three for 14 from his 3.5 overs and bowled tail-enders Stuart Broad and James Anderson with the last two balls of England's innings.

Owais Shah top-scored with 38 from 33 balls, but his innings lacked intensity. He scored almost half his runs in one over. Shah took 15 from the 12th over bowled by Roelof van der Merwe, including a six over long off.

But just as England looked to increase their run rate they slumped from 78 for three to 92 for eight. Graeme Smith dropped Broad in the 20th over and allowed a boundary in the process but this was a rare lapse by an efficient and energetic South Africa.

The comfortable win against Pakistan enabled England to qualify for the Super Eights phase, but the shocking defeat to the Dutch is still fresh in the mind and Durham all-rounder Collingwood accepts that his team must improve when they meet India at Lord's in their next Super Eights clash on Sunday.

"It has been a roller-coaster ride so far," the captain added. "We need to go out there (against India] and get our confidence going. "We are in a tough group but we believe we have the guys who can win in this competition. We will try to get the belief going again over the next couple of days."

South Africa skipper Smith was understandably delighted with his side's all-round effort. He said: "The intensity we created in the field was great and then we clinically finished the game off."

Smith also had words of praise for 19-year-old fast bowler Parnell following his impressive his three-wicket haul. "He is handling himself very well. He is composed, it was a cauldron to be playing England over here but he handled it very well," added Smith.

Flintoff stakes his claim

ANDREW Flintoff took just two balls to make a statement of intent for the Ashes summer following his surprise return to first-class action yesterday.

Just over six weeks after surgery on a knee injury picked up in the Indian Premier League, the England all-rounder was selected to play for Lancashire in their LV County Championship Division One match at Durham. He was kept out of the attack at Chester-le-Street early on but after being handed the ball for the 12th over, Flintoff had opener Michael Di Venuto caught behind off his second delivery.

It was a stirring response to the doubters who feared he might struggle to play a significant part against the Australians when battle commences next month.

And Lancashire coach Peter Moores insisted he had no doubts about sending Flintoff back into the fray. "Over the last four of five days he's increased his intensity. He's fit to play," Moores said. "He's keen to get as much cricket in as he can before the Ashes."