According to Cricbuzz Report, ENG vs SA, a historical look at their Cricket World Cup clashes, from victories to upsets, and the thrilling encounters between these cricket giants.
ENG vs SA, On March 12, 1992
England played their inaugural World Cup match against South Africa in the 28th match of the 1992 Cricket World Cup. England’s captain, Alec Stewart, won the toss and decided to field, anticipating rain. This decision raised eyebrows, given the playing conditions, but it nearly backfired as rain did intervene, resulting in a revised target for England.
South African openers Kepler Wessels and Andrew Hudson formed a strong partnership of 151 runs for the opening wicket. However, once the openers were dismissed, South Africa’s fortunes took a downturn. The revised target for England was set at 226 runs from 41 overs. Thanks to brilliant performances by Stewart, who scored 57, and Fairbrother, who contributed 75, England managed to achieve the target in the final over of the match. Captain Stewart was named the Man of the Match for his pivotal role in England’s victory as they defeated South Africa by three wickets in Melbourne.
ENG vs SA, On March 22, 1992
South Africa’s hopes of advancing in the World Cup were dashed due to rain disrupting their run chase. They had a strong chance to progress to the next stage, but England won the rain-shortened game by 19 runs. Graeme Hick was awarded the Man of the Match for his impressive knock of 83. This victory also helped England reach the finals, where they were eventually defeated by Pakistan.
ENG vs SA, On February 25, 1996
South Africa sought revenge after losing two consecutive matches against England in the 1992 World Cup. In the 14th match of the subsequent World Cup, held in Rawalpindi, South African captain Hansie Cronje chose to bat and posted a decent total. Despite Peter Martin taking three wickets, South African batsmen collaborated effectively to set a target that their bowlers successfully defended.
England struggled in their run chase, with Mike Atherton being dismissed for a duck by Shaun Pollock. The collective effort of South Africa’s bowlers, including Donald, Kallis, Pollock, and Klusener, who consistently bowled in the 140s, created insurmountable pressure on England. England lost wickets at regular intervals and fell short of the target by 78 runs.
ENG vs SA, On May 22, 1999
South Africa defeated England by a significant margin of 122 runs. This marked the first time England was playing as the host in a World Cup match. South Africa’s openers, Gibbs and Kirsten, were going strong until the collapse began with the score at 111. Lance Klusener’s aggressive batting in the death overs, where he scored an unbeaten 48 off 40 balls, propelled South Africa to a formidable total of 225/7.
South Africa’s strong bowling lineup, featuring Donald, Kallis, Pollock, and Klusener, proved challenging for England. Donald took four middle-order wickets, breaking the backbone of England’s batting lineup. The remaining bowlers completed the task as England was bundled out for a meager score of 103 in front of their home crowd.
ENG vs SA, On April 17, 2007
South Africa defeated England at the Oval in Barbados. Andrew Hall played a key role in the match, taking five wickets for just 18 runs in his ten overs. His outstanding performance helped South Africa restrict England to 154 runs on a decent batting pitch. In reply, AB de Villiers and Graeme Smith provided a strong start for South Africa, with a partnership of 85 runs in 59 balls. South Africa chased down the target in the 20th over with nine wickets to spare.
ENG vs SA, On March 6, 2011
England secured a thrilling victory over South Africa at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai during the World Cup. Proteas spinners Robin Peterson and Imran Tahir had initially posed significant challenges for England, with Peterson taking three crucial wickets and Tahir claiming four. England was restricted to a total of 171.
In response, Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla got South Africa off to a strong start. However, England’s bowlers, particularly Stuart Broad, staged a remarkable comeback. South Africa, after being 63/0, slumped to 127/7, and eventually, England won by six runs. Broad was the standout performer, securing four wickets. It was one of his best World Cup performances.
ENG vs SA, On May 30, 2019
England won the opening match of the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Despite losing the toss, England dominated South Africa. England’s top five batters, including Ben Stokes, scored half-centuries, with Stokes leading the charge with a 79-ball 89. Chasing a target of 312, South Africa faced early setbacks, with Jofra Archer’s pace unsettling their top order. Amla had to leave the field after being hit by a bouncer. Archer continued to trouble South Africa, taking three wickets, and the wickets column became a concern.
Amla returned to bat, but Ben Stokes’ sensational catch removed any hope of a South African comeback. South Africa was eventually bowled out for 207 within 40 overs, thanks to England’s all-round bowling performance. Stokes was named the Player of the Match for his contributions, which included two wickets. This marked a strong start to England’s campaign in the 2019 World Cup.