Player of the Match
Player of the Match
2129dThe Bulletin by Liam Brickhill

Pietersen sets up emphatic victory

England completed a clinical 39-run win over South Africa at the Kensington Oval to get one foot in the semi-finals

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

KP Pietersen
53(33) 8x4 - 1x6
  • Productive Shot
  • pull/hook on back foot
  • 11 runs
  • 1x4 - 1x6
5 0 1 1 13 2 8 23
C Kieswetter
41(42) 3x4 - 2x6
  • Productive Shot
  • off side drive on front foot
  • 15 runs
  • 1x4 - 1x6
0 4 3 2 12 6 5 9

Best performances - Bowlers

RJ Sidebottom
RJ Sidebottom
O4
M0
R23
W3
Eco5.75
RHB
OFFLEG
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
GP Swann
O4
M0
R24
W3
Eco6.00
RHB
OFFLEG
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF

END OF OVER:
19 | 3 Runs 2 Wkts | SA: 129/10 (40 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 6.78, RRR: 40.00)

  • Charl Langeveldt2 (3b)
  • Ryan Sidebottom4-0-23-3
  • Stuart Broad4-0-26-2

So there we go, that's the end of that. I've been Andrew Miller, Liam Brickhill has been on bulletin duty, and join us again on Monday, for the KP-less contest against New Zealand in St Lucia.

Unsurprisingly, Kevin Pietersen is named as Man of the Match, but it's the last we're going to see of him for a few days. His wife Jessica is going into labour, and he's legging it back to Blighty for a few days ahead of the semi-final.

"I'm flying in the next 24 hours, and if there are no complications, I'll come back in a day before the semi," said Pietersen. "It's my first child, so it's a hell of an exciting time for me. I'll be dashing across the Atlantic, and hopefully dashing back."

"They were far better than us today," admits Graeme Smith. "We fought back well, but our first ten overs were poor. Consistency has been our problem of late in the shorter form of the game."

"When you see the lads going out to bat with that kind of intent, it's really exciting. Our line-up has got a lot of potential," says Paul Collingwood.

A huge victory for England, in every sense. The margin of victory puts them in pole position in terms of net run-rate, and now they square up to New Zealand with one foot in the semi-finals. South Africa, meanwhile, have one or two worries. A win against Pakistan should suffice to carry them through, but they'll need to lift their game something chronic.

England's victory was built on a sensational innings from Kevin Pietersen, whose 33-ball 53 contained some of the most sumptuous strokes of the tournament to date. None of South Africa's batsmen came close to matching his prowess, while England's extra spin option proved invaluable in mixing up the pace when their turn came to field.

18.6
W
Sidebottom to M Morkel, OUT, all over red rover. A low full-toss, and that's good enough as Morkel misses and the timbers are rattled!

M Morkel b Sidebottom 1 (4m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

18.5
1
Sidebottom to Langeveldt, 1 run, crunched into the covers, but the placement is awry
18.4
0
Sidebottom to Langeveldt, no run, right up in the blockhole, and Sidebottom leaps to his right to prevent the single
18.3
1
Sidebottom to M Morkel, 1 run, low full-toss, outside off, tapped to midwicket
18.2
1
Sidebottom to Langeveldt, 1 run, tapped into the covers

Do, re, me, so, fa, la, te, dooooohh

18.1
W
Sidebottom to Botha, OUT, wow, Sidebottom clings onto a blinder! That was smashed straight back towards his kneecaps, and it was self-preservation that made that take possible

J Botha c & b Sidebottom 12 (21m 12b 0x4 1x6) SR: 100.00

South Africa 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st19JH KallisGC Smith
2nd15HH GibbsGC Smith
3rd10GC SmithAB de Villiers
4th2JA MorkelAB de Villiers
5th7JP DuminyAB de Villiers
6th37MV BoucherJP Duminy
7th21J BothaJP Duminy
8th14J BothaDW Steyn
9th1J BothaM Morkel
10th3CK LangeveldtM Morkel

ICC Men's T20 World Cup

Group A
TeamMWLPTNRR
AUS22041.525
PAK2112-0.325
BAN2020-1.2
Group B
TeamMWLPTNRR
NZ22040.428
SL21120.355
ZIM2020-1.595
Group C
TeamMWLPTNRR
IND22041.495
SA21121.125
AFG2020-2.446
Group D
TeamMWLPTNRR
WI22042.78
ENG2011-0.452
IRE2011-3.5
Group E
TeamMWLPTNRR
ENG33060.962
PAK31220.041
NZ3122-0.373
SA3122-0.617
Group F
TeamMWLPTNRR
AUS33062.733
SL3214-0.333
WI3122-1.281
IND3030-1.117