South Africa vs England, 3rd ODI, Johannesburg: Fantasy Preview

Rain played hide and seek but eventually was the winner as the second ODI turned into a damp squib. England and South Africa will now travel to Johannesburg for the third and final game. The hosts will have a series win on their mind while England will want to level the series. 

The two sides have met each other 62 times in the 50-over format. South Africa have been victorious on 30 occasions with 27 going to England. One game ended in a tie with four getting abandoned. 

Weather:

Unfortunately for the viewers, rain is once again likely to play a big role in Johannesburg. There are thunderstorms predicted throughout the day and we could once again have a curtailed game at our disposal. The temperature should hover around the 16 to 23 degree range on average.

Ground Details and Team Combination:

Johannesburg has hosted four ODIs since the start of 2017 and the numbers here have aided both batsmen and bowlers. Batsmen have scored runs at an average of 33 runs per wicket in ODIs since the start of 2017 while bowlers have picked up a wicket every 37.4 balls. So picking as many all-rounders in your side should be the way to go. 

On the bowling front, pacers have been better at this venue than their spin bowling counterparts. They have picked up a wicket every 37.2 balls as compared to spinners who have returned a wicket at a strike rate of 49.2. 

At Johannesburg, left-arm pacers have done well in the recent past. They have returned a wicket every 25.5 balls in ODIs since January 2017. South Africa have Beuran Hendricks in their setup while England have the young gun Sam Curran and the two should make it into your side. Leg-spinners have also done well at this venue and someone like Matt Parkinson could be in your team.

A combination of five frontline batsmen including the wicket-keeper, three all-rounders and three bowlers could be the way to go for this game.

Captain Selection:

Quinton de Kock started with a match-winning 107 during the first ODI on Tuesday. Despite falling cheaply in the rain-curtailed match at Durban, he still holds the key for South Africa in the absence of a senior batsman like Faf du Plessis. Since January 2019, the South Africa captain has scored 881 runs at a fabulous average of 51.82. One of the stand-out facts about his batting during this period has been his consistency, with nine 50+ scores from 19 innings, which adds up to a fifty almost every two innings. De Kock also has a good record at The Wanderers, having scored 273 runs at an average of 45.50 and a strike-rate of 98.55.

X-Factors:

Our first X-factor is Jason Roy. Roy was instrumental in England getting off to a brisk start in the first match but once he was set, he could not go on to make it count. However, there is no denying that he has been in excellent form off late, having scored 877 runs at 67.46 along with a brilliant strike-rate if 117.4. In fact, in his last six ODI innings, he has scored three fifties and a century.

Our second X-factor is Temba Bavuma. Bavuma, in his four ODI innings, has already shown that he can excel in this format and deserves a longer run. Occupying the No.3 spot, Bavuma can shift gears according to the situation and has the temperament needed for the 50-over format. In his brief ODI career, Bavuma has already two 50-plus scores in four innings, averages 70 and strikes at almost 97. He has been in top form in the domestic circuit too of late.

While Joe Root has turned a corner as a bowler on this tour, he is a top batsman especially on surfaces that have some pace. Hence, the fact that he has excelled in South Africa comes as no surprise. The England Test captain has scored 368 runs at 61.33, along with a strike-rate of 90.86 in the Rainbow Nation in ODIs. He has also slammed three scores in excess of fifty. After a run of 100*, 88 and 57 in consecutive innings in the World Cup, Root has scored 8, 44, 24, 49*, 7 and 17 in his next six innings. Considering that this match is a series-decider, there’s no better time for Root to return to form with the bat in this format.

Suggested FanFight Team:

Quinton de Kock (c), Jason Roy, Joe Root, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma (vc), Andile Phehlukwayo, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Tabraiz Shamsi, Beuran Hendricks, Chris Jordan