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We are heading into the business end of Champions Trophy 2025. Three semi-finalists in India, New Zealand and Australia have already been confirmed. South Africa are on the precipice of qualification too barring they suffer a defeat by an improbable margin against England.
England have grossly underperformed in the tournament and therefore stand eliminated. With Jos Buttler stepping down from white-ball captaincy, a transition is in order. Their lack of control with the ball has let them down majorly, first against Australia and then against Afghanistan.
Another dominant display has enabled South Africa to the zenith of Group B. England bow out of Champions Trophy 2025 with their cricket in the doldrums.
179 was always going to be an under-par score. Stubbs was castled by Archer for a duck and then Rickelton followed suit, but that’s the catch with small chases. One partnership emerges and the defence becomes an insurmountable task. Van der Dussen kept ticking the scoreboard over while Klaasen upped the ante. There was a consolation wicket in the end, albeit South Africa stormed to victory with 125 balls to spare.
We're beaten in our final game of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
A disappointing campaign, but we know we'll be back stronger as a group 💪 pic.twitter.com/b5aqxKm57Q
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 1, 2025
The alliance between Klaasen and van der Dussen has grown to 75 off 80 balls, with the keeper-bat bringing up his half-century. Runs are coming at a fair clip and England, battered and bruised, look devoid of ideas. To be fair, they just do not have enough runs on the board to elicit any undue risks from the duo. The game seems to be on auto-pilot mode at the moment.
Most consecutive 50-plus scores for SA in ODIs
5 – Jonty Rhodes (2000-01)
5 – Quinton de Kock (2017)
5 – Quinton de Kock (2019)
5* – Heinrich Klaasen (2024-25)
The requirement for South Africa is under 100 now. Heinrich Klaasen and Rassie van der Dussen are complementing each other nicely, with the former fetching two boundaries in an over by Jamie Overton.
15 overs have been completed in the chase 🏏.
🇿🇦 South Africa is starting to increase the scoring rate, 81/2.
🇿🇦 We still need 99 runs to win from 35 overs.#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #ChampionsTrophy #ENGvSA pic.twitter.com/WZUiohjvw7
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) March 1, 2025
A jaffa from Archer! He jumps in delight and punches the air, gives his victim a sheepish smile as Rickelton trudges back. It was a pacy length ball that angles in from outside off, straightens at the last moment and beats Rickelton for all money. Disturbs the middle and off stump.
The partnership between Rassie van der Dussen and Ryan Rickelton is a run-a-ball 26. South Africa are going steadily after the early blow, although Saqib Mahmood did create a chance and fluffed it himself in the sixth over.
Knocked over! England secure an early wicket as the returning Tristan Stubbs is out for a duck. Back of length delivery onto off stump, gets a bit of extra bounce there. Stubbs tries to block it but ends up ricocheting it back onto the stumps.
A maiden to end his spell as Maharaj returns 10-1-35-2. Archer continued to flex his muscles before Jansen accepted another tough catching opportunity to send him back for 25.
The onus was now squarely on Buttler to bail his team out of choppy waters. Alas, the departing captain’s poor form persisted as Ngidi completes 1000 wickets in ODIs. Looked out of sorts throughout his 42-ball stay.
Three boundaries against pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada! Archer is just enjoying his time in the middle as there is little pressure on England now. They are out of the tournament, anyway. Might as well smoke a few while you’re at it, that’s what the tail-ender is thinking.
Update: After pulling off an acrobatic save at mid-off, Markram has gone off the field as he is experiencing hamstring issues. He won’t field for the rest of the innings. Will bat if required. Klaasen has taken over as captain now.
South Africa take pride in their fielding, and today it’s been an exhibition of their brilliance in that department. Ngidi ensnares a great catch at mid-on. Over his shoulder and running back. Take a bow!
Length delivery outside off, Jamie Overton gets forward to flick but all he manages is a fat outside edge which seems to be clearing Ngidi. However, at the last moment he stretches his hands in front of him and holds onto the ball with his left-hand. Cushions the body well so as to not drop it upon completion. Marvellous catch that and Overton can’t believe that it has been taken. South Africa swarm around the pacer.
The English tail is well and truly exposed now.
Can England somehow muster up a total of 200? A lot rides on Jos Buttler, who is due a captain's knock. https://t.co/4CbUAgRZON pic.twitter.com/bw3hYMPAUj
— Guerilla Cricket #GCFromHome (@guerillacricket) March 1, 2025
Terrible shot that. Lack of application has been a burning issue with Liam Livingstone of late. With his team in an awful crisis, the pinch-hitter runs down the track and has an agricultural swipe at this loop delivery by Keshav Maharaj. It dips and beats him as Heinrich Klaasen helps himself to an easy stumping. He threw his wicket away in similar fashion against Washington Sundar in the recent Ahmedabad ODI.
An impressive sliding catch from Jansen at long-on saw the back of Harry Brook as he perished while trying to take on the spinner. The left-arm seamer can do no wrong today.
Shortly thereafter, the on-song Root is gone to leave England toothless. Scrambled-seamer on middle Root completely misses the flick, the off-stump takes a beating. England have lost half their side and both the set batters fall in successive overs.
Fresh off a hundred, Joe Root is obviously in great nick. Unfurled a gorgeous straight drive and an equally crisp pull off Jansen. Then swivels to pull Wiaan Mulder over the deep square-leg fielder. Magnificent connection.
He has a million-dollar smile on his face! Usually Duckett is proficient off his pads but this time he plays a false stroke. A length ball homing on leg, Duckett attempts his bread-and-butter shot once again but is early into it this time. Ends up getting an ill-fated leading edge.
Jansen in his followthrough does well to steady himself and extends both hands to his left to take a sharp catch. Good reflexes from the tall guy.
SA bowlers with 3-plus wickets in Overs 1-10 in CT
5/8 (5 overs) – Makhaya Ntini vs PAK, Mohali, 2006
3/21 (4 overs) – Steve Elworthy vs SL, Dhaka, 1998 SF
3/10 (5 overs) – Charl Langeveldt vs BAN, Edgbaston, 2004
3/29 (5 overs) – Marco Jansen vs ENG, Karachi, 2025
🇿🇦 End of the first PowerPlay as South Africa enjoys a successful start. Marco Jansen continues to impress with wickets upfront 🔥💪🏏🇿🇦.
ENG 62/3 after 10 overs. #WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #ChampionsTrophy #ENGvSA pic.twitter.com/JG5QfhbrYW
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) March 1, 2025
Ben Duckett began in archetypal fashion by whipping Lungi Lgidi for two boundaries in an over but South Africa have the bowling nous to curtail the flow of runs.
Jansen digs the ball into the surface around off. He once again extracts extra bounce to put Jamie Smith into an awkward position. The lanky batter is hustled as well as cramped for space as the attempted pull results in a top-edge.
Phil Salt pounces on the width and slashes the ball over covers to get off the mark with a boundary. He then walks down the track and mistimes his swipe to mid-wicket for another four.
Jansen, however, has the last laugh. A short ball around off rears up and climbs on Salt. He gets into a tangle trying to pull it across. Ends up getting a top-edge as the ball plops to mid-wicket, where Rassie van der Dussen does the needful.
Salt signs off Champions Trophy 2025 with yet another poor performance.
Phil Salt in Overs 1-10 in ODIs
Inns: 31
Runs: 752
Dismissals: 25
Avg: 30.08
SR: 118.61
Teams:
England (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith(w), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler(c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood
South Africa (Playing XI): Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram(c), Heinrich Klaasen(w), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
