England has sealed their three-match Test series against South Africa in London with an emphatic nine-wicket victory, while the Proteas will now also lose their coach, Mark Boucher.
🚨 RESULT | ENGLAND WIN BY 9 WICKETS
England wrap up the third Test to claim back-to-back victories and secure the series 2-1#ENGvSA #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/TOfkAo07lQ
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) September 12, 2022
The fate of the match was hanging in the balance after a rained-out first day proceeded the death of her majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. It was news that left the sports community in limbo. Organisers were contemplating an appropriate way forward.
While the Premier League opted to postpone matchday seven, The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) decided that the Test match would go ahead as scheduled.
“Cricket will resume on Saturday to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and honour her remarkable life and service,” said the ECB in a statement released on Friday.
“Following the cancellation of Friday’s cricket fixtures as a mark of respect on the announcement of her death, the England and Wales Cricket Board can confirm that play will resume from Saturday including international, domestic, and recreational fixtures. The decision has been taken after consultation with DCMS and in line with Official National Mourning guidance.”
not even close to five days
For the Test cricket purist, this series would have been a terrible watch. Even though this third test went into day five, they bowled less than 152 overs. That’s barely two days’ worth of cricket, following the trend of the first two tests, where barely three days were played.
Free entry at the Oval, with 33 needed for Eng to win the series. Feels like quite a few are coming in to enjoy the atmos #EngvSA pic.twitter.com/Z5Tmls23f4
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) September 12, 2022
For the second consecutive test, the Protea batting lineup failed to rake in the runs. The South Africans limped to 118 in their first innings, following a superb bowling performance from Ollie Robinson and Stuart Broad.
Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada matched the English bowlers, to give the Proteas a shot at taking the series.
The way the Protea batters started the second innings gave us supporters a glimmer of hope. Openers Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee turned around the 40 run deficit with ease.
For a moment it seemed as if they would be able to build a substantial lead. However, a collapse was on the horizon. It was yet another case of limping to a semi-respectable target, with the Proteas setting England a target of 130 to win the match and the series.
While the match is never over until it’s over, Alex Lees and Zak Crawley diminished all hopes of a SA fight back. Kagiso Rabada could at least get one final scalp, but it was too little, too late.
He was the joint-leading wicket-taker and starred with a five-wicket haul in his side's victory at Lord's – Kagiso Rabada is the South Africa Player of the Series 👏https://t.co/DGOfe8tArW | #ENGvSA pic.twitter.com/CF9vjVCB9H
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 12, 2022
Bouchies goodbye
The Proteas won’t have much time to reflect on the disappointment in the Test arena, as the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup (ICC T20 WC) fast approaches.
It’s still a month away, and ahead of the global spectacle, the South African cricket team will embark on a white ball tour of India. Two series of three T20s and One-Day Internationals are on the cards.
The series will kick off on the 28 September with a T20 in Thiruvananthapuram. The series closer will be an ODI in Delhi on 11 October, with the Proteas’ first warm-up match of the ICC T20 WC set to be played on the 17th in the suburbs of Brisbane.
The ICC T20 WC will also be the Protea swan song for coach Mark Boucher.
“Mark Boucher has, after the series against England, decided to resign in order to pursue other opportunities in line with his future career and personal objectives,” said Cricket South Africa in a statement released on Monday.
“While Cricket SA greatly regrets that Mr Boucher is unable to see out the term of his contract, it respects his decision and wishes him all the best in his future endeavours.”
Boucher is yet to make an official comment on his future. The former Protea wicket-keeper batsman will reportedly pursue a coaching role in the upcoming SA T20 League at MI Cape Town.
