Cricket News: Ben Stokes’ 50-over cricket career ended in a loss as England lost to South Africa by 62 runs in Durham’s opening game of the one-day international series.
Stokes, who was having knee problems, completed five overs with the ball and scored five runs with the bat before Aiden Markram ended his final ODI innings. On his journey to and from the field, England’s World Cup-winning hero from 2019 received a thunderous welcome and standing ovation from his home audience.
Prior to his final innings, Stokes had informed Nasser Hussain of Sky Sports Cricket that the players’ present schedules are “unsustainable.”
“We’re not cars where you can just fill us up with petrol or diesel and then let us go. It does have this effect on you, the amount of playing and travelling we do – it all adds up.
“The schedule at the moment is all very jam-packed. It’s asking a lot of the players to keep putting in 100 per cent of their efforts every time they walk out on the field for their country.”
Following a century partnership for the first wicket between Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy, Markram (2-25) took the crucial wicket of Bairstow (63), who has also trapped lbw (43).
Joe Root (86 off 77) scored an outstanding 36th ODI fifty, but the middle order collapsed around him, and Anrich Nortje (4-53) eventually bowled him for the final wicket as England was bowled out for 271 just 11 balls later.
The Big South African score is inspired by Van der Dussen’s century
The dangerous Quinton de Kock (19) was bowled early on by Sam Curran (1-67), but it was the tiniest of England’s fielding victories as the bowlers struggled and the top order of South Africa prospered in the heat.
Van van Dussen received excellent support from Janneman Malan (57) and Aiden Markram (77), and the latter two put on 151 runs together after sharing a century stand for the second wicket.
Matthew Potts (0-33), who was making his debut in front of his home crowd and appeared to be suffering from the exhausting conditions, had to leave the field after a challenging initial four-over burst, and there was Stokes with his knee that required monitoring.
While Liam Livingstone (2-30) struck twice in one over to halt Van van Dussen and Markram’s devastating stand, Moeen Ali (1-47) recovered Malan, who had been caught at deep midwicket.
Brydon Carse (1-46) was particularly effective at the conclusion of the innings for England, who had two new batsmen at the crease. Curran was unfortunate not to add the wicket of David Miller (24no), as he sliced one back onto his off stump but, amazingly, the bails failed to dislodge.
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