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The SA20 will take a break for the next week, as South Africa and England get set to fight it out in a brief three-match ODI series. With the focus on Tests and T20s over the past few months, both sides have been quite light on 50-over cricket. However, with the 2023 ODI World Cup just around the corner, both nations will be looking to fine-tune their game plans and starting XIs heading into the end of the year. Here’s our South Africa vs England predictions ahead of the first ODI this Friday.
Prediction 1
South Africa to Win
11/8 (2.37)
Prediction 2
Jofra Archer to Be England’s Top Bowler
4.00 (3/1)
These odds from William Hill were correct at the time of writing.
South Africa vs England – Match Prediction
Contents
Here at Pundit Feed, we love making cricket predictions. Below are the two best bets we suggest placing on the South Africa vs England first ODI:
South Africa to Win @ 11/8 (2.37)
Neither of these sides have had much recent ODI action, with South Africa last playing in October and England in November. Both sides lost series to India and Australia respectively. However, South Africa appear to have the more settled starting XI, while England are still all over the show, having put more focus into the other two formats over the past year.
The absence of Ben Stokes will hurt England, and we think South Africa being a little more settled and playing at home should lead them to take the first match of this series.
Jofra Archer to Be England’s Top Bowler @ 4.00 (3/1)
After the best part of two years away from the game, England’s premier fast bowler and generational talent Jofra Archer will return to ODI cricket this Friday. Expect the pacer to return in a blaze of glory, just like he did in the SA20 recently, where he took 3/27 in his first match back for the MI Cape Town a few weeks ago.
Archer himself has declared that he’s 80% fit, but his ability to bowl 150 km/h and take wickets at ease suggest the star will be a big feature in England’s attack.
South Africa vs England Preview and Team News
With these two bets in mind, here’s a look at a bit more information on each side ahead of the South Africa vs England first ODI.
South Africa
The big question for South Africa is less about their side, and more about how their home fans will turn out to support them. The SA20 has been a big success so far, and with South Africa evidently prioritising this league ahead of their international game, will their fans view this squeezed-in series the same? The outcome could have significant ramifications on cricket over the coming years.
South Africa predicted XI: 1 Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), 2 Janneman Malan, 3 Temba Bavuma (captain), 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Wayne Parnell, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Sisanda Magala or Lungi Ngidi, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi and 11 Anrich Nortje.
England
For England, they’ll be looking to figure out a lot of missing pieces ahead of their World Cup defense later this year. How will the side go filling the void left by Ben Stokes absence? Can Jason Roy reclaim form before it’s too late for the veteran? This, plus the return of Archer will be front and centre for England over the next week.
England predicted XI: 1 Jason Roy, 2 Phil Salt or Ben Duckett, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Jos Buttler (captain and wicketkeeper), 5 Harry Brook, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 Adil Rashid and 11 Reece Topley and Olly Stone.
South Africa vs England Head to Head
The men in green hold the slight advantage in the head to head here, with South Africa having won 31 of the meetings between these two nations, against England’s 29. England, however, won the latest completed match by 118 runs.
South Africa vs England Match Details
- Time and date: Friday 27th of January from 11:00 GMT
- Venue: Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein, South Africa
- How to watch South Africa vs England first ODI in the UK: Sky Sports
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