This will be the chance of millennium for the English team where the game has its roots from as this looks to be the best ODI side they ever had.
Having said that, the South Africa Team are no lesser than great competition, though they would have loved to have their recent years superhero, AB de Villiers, in their batting order.
They’d also miss the best fast bowler this decade had, Dale Steyn, who wouldn’t be playing the CWC 2019 Opener. Let’s see how the teams look on player by player analysis:
Top Order of England vs Top Order of South Africa:
England will go with Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy as openers. If we go by records, Jonny Bairstow has a repute of taking the team on his shoulders as can be seen from the three consecutive ODI centuries he scored against New Zealand in New Zealand.
Jason Roy has been involved in a couple of partnerships up the order which are listed among the highest ODI partnerships for first and third wicket, incidentally one with Alex Hales who was recently replaced by James Vince in the team .
He has the highest individual score by any English batsman in ODIs. Onus will be on these three to set the tone of match. No. 3 can be Joe Root who is certainly among the best batsmen of current generation, currently the fourth ranked ODI batsman in ICC Rankings. If England does well up the order it will get easy for Morgans and Stokes in the middle order.
Much will be needed from a Kagiso Rabada led South African pace attack, as they’d do well to stop England scoring big starting up as it could as well set the pace of the game in favor of the English team.
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South Africa, on the other hand, have one of the most consistent and prolific opener in Hashim Amla to start their batting with. Amla, will need no introduce as he’s been the fastest so far to score 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 ODI Runs. If he scores a ton tonight, he will join Virat Kohli as the joint fastest to 8000 runs.
He’ll be opening with Quinton de Kock who has been involved in the highest opening partnership of 282 (unbroken) with Amla. Apart from that, he’s the joint fastest to 1000 ODI runs.
Coming at no. 3 will be Faf Du Plessis who’s scored the highest individual score by a South African batsman. He’s has led the team from the front as can be judged from his three consecutive ODI centuries as a South African Captain. The third opener they have is Rassie Van Der Dussen.
Middle Order of England vs Middle Order of South Africa:
The English middle order will see an explosive Eoin Morgan who’ll try to exploit the advantage created by his openers or consolidating the situation in case the opening stand isn’t that well.
The England captain would like to extend his 2018 form into the 2019 world cup to help English fans realize a dream they are yet to achieve in ODI Cricket, a Cricket World Cup 2019 Title. He’ll be supported by Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes in exploiting the home conditions to their favor.
The South African middle order will consist of JP Duminy and David Miller supported by others. Duminy and Miller enjoy batting together as can be guessed from the unbroken highest 5th wicket partnership in Cricket World cup they have under their names. South Africa looks better in the middle order, while the top order is any team’s game on their day.
England Bowling vs South Africa Bowling:
England will have Jofra Archer, Liam Plunkett and Chris Woakes as their lead bowlers supported by Ben Stokes as the fifth bowler. Jofra Archer is in form and Liam Plunkett has the reputation of performing at his best at Big tournaments.
These two supported by Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali will pose a threat South African Batsmen would have to negate to take control of the match.
South African bowling will be led by Kagiso Rabada who’ll feel pressure as their senior pacer Dale Steyn wouldn’t be playing this match.
His exclusion from the match means a lot will depend on how Andile Phehlukwayo and Lungi Ngidi perform, Spin Wizard Imran Tahir will, though, try to ease pressure on the bowing line up by claiming important breaks for the team.
This is the first match of the 2019 edition of the Cricket World Cup and all eyes will be on these two teams who are yet to win a 50 overs Cricket World Cup title.