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South Africa v England, 5th ODI: Five Things We Learned

South Africa seal a 3-2 win in the ODI series with a five wicket win in the decider at Cape Town. Here is what we learned…

MAN OF THE DAY – AB DE VILLIERS

The most captain of captain’s knocks: in a winner-takes-all situation, with your team in a pickle at 22 for three and no personal score of note in the series behind you. There was a worry earlier in this tour when AB de Villiers spoke of managing his workloads, with the dour speck of retirement in his eye. And with that, you began to wonder if he was still capable of the really great things he’s treated us to when he went on a run of three consecutive ducks. Don’t worry, he’s still go it. With Hashim Amla, the pair registered their 11th century partnership. There was nothing outrageous, just perfect judgement, immaculate timing and an impeccable appreciation of a one day chase. This was hundred number 24 and one of his classiest.

12.80

It’s been a series to forget for Eoin Morgan, especially with England losing the last three matches to throw away a 2-0 lead and really blot his captaincy copy book, despite how impressive he was with his tactics. But from his own point of view, 64 runs in five innings is rotten for a middle order batsman with so many strong players coming before and after him. He should remain in place, of course, regardless of the merits of James Taylor or [insert your favourite player here]. Not only is by far the best limited overs captain England have had since Adam Hollioake, but he scored almost 1,000 runs in 2015, at an average of 44. To get rid of him after one poor series would be very ‘90s England.

HALES, THE SENSIBLE

It’s not meant as a sleight on Alex Hales, but when he stands out as the most responsible player in an innings, you know something has gone awry. In the Test side, he was brought in to be the man that gives England a brisk start and, with time, that should come. But in limited overs cricket, a form of the game he has excelled at throughout his path to internationals, Hales has played out many scenarios and that experience shone through today. He could do nothing about the drama at the other end, yet still managed to maintain a strike-rate in the high eighties. After the century came, off 116 balls, he did his best to tee-off before he was caught in the deep. At the very least, Hales’ form, with 383 runs (the most by an English batsman in a five-match ODI series) shows he should be allowed to get things right in Tests.

ENGLAND NEED TO REMEMBER HOW TO TREAD WATER

Don’t get me wrong, this new helter-skelter England are a joy to watch, even when it goes horribly wrong. But today, as in their other series decider against Australia at the end of last summer when they were skittled for 138 in defeat, they got caught up in their own machismo. Joe Root was going well and didn’t need to entertain sweeping Imran Tahir, Eoin Morgan didn’t need to charge and Adil Rashid already had two boundaries in the over before he tried to lash David Wiese over cover. As Michael Vaughan said at the end of the first innings, “this side will be very very dangerous when they develop some brains.”

CLOETE CALL

It seems gauche to call out an umpire – we all make mistakes, etc – but his decision to give out Hales caught behind, when there was so big of a gap between bat and ball, must rank as one of the worst decisions in recent history. Hales scuffed the ground, leading Quinton de Kock to let out a cursory appeal, but even the bowler Chris Morris had turned to walk back to his mark when the finger went up. Take a look…