Denly helps England recover in first ODI

CAPE TOWN: Joe Denly hit a career-best 87 to lead an England fightback in the first One-day International against South Africa at Newlands on Tuesday.

England made 258 for eight after being sent in on a slow pitch. They were floundering at 131 for six before Denly and Chris Woakes (40) came together in a seventh-wicket stand of 91.

Left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi did the major damage for South Africa, taking three for 38.

England made a good start with Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow putting on 51 for the first wicket before both were dismissed in successive overs.

Denly saw two more wickets fall before he was joined by all-rounder Woakes, playing in his 100th One-day International.

Denly made his runs off 103 balls before he was caught in the deep in the last over.

Both teams were much-changed from their previous one-day outings, in last year’s World Cup. Champions England fielded only five of the side who played in the final, while only six South Africans survived from their World Cup squad.

England gave ODI debuts to batsman Tom Banton and leg-spinner Matt Parkinson, while South Africa inducted all-rounder J.T. Smuts and fast bowler Lutho Sipamla as their debutants.

England are fresh off a 3-1 victory in the Test series but they a much-changed team under limited-overs captain Morgan. Only Test skipper Root,Denly, Sam Curran and Woakes survive from the victorious Test team.

South Africa are also a changed team, with limited-overs specialists David Miller and Andile Phehlukwayo in their line-up and fast bowler Lungi Ngidi back from injury.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND:

J.J. Roy c R. Hendricks b Smuts 32

J.M. Bairstow c Sipamla b Phehlukwayo 19

J.E. Root run out 17

E.J.G. Morgan c Bavuma b Shamsi 11

J.L. Denly c R. Hendricks b B. Hendricks 87

T. Banton lbw b Shamsi 18

S.M. Curran b Shamsi 7

C.R. Woakes c Miller b Sipamla 40

T.K. Curran not out 15

C.J. Jordan not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-8, NB-1) 11

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 258

FALL OF WKTS: 1-51, 2-53, 3-83, 4-83, 5-108, 6-131, 7-222, 8-254.

DID NOT BAT: M.W. Parkinson.

BOWLING: B.E. Hendricks 8-0-46-1 (1nb); Ngidi 7-0-42-0; Smuts 10-0-43-1; Phehlukwayo 8-0-47-1 (3w); Shamsi 10-0-38-3 (2w); Sipamla 7-0-40-1 (3w).

SOUTH AFRICA: Q. de Kock, R.R. Hendricks, T. Bavuma, H.E. van der Dussen, J.J. Smuts, D.A. Miller, A.L. Phehlukwayo, B.E. Hendricks, L. Ngidi, L. Sipamla, T. Shamsi.

UMPIRES: S. George (South Africa) and G.O. Brathwaite (West Indies).

TV UMPIRE: Aleem Dar (Pakistan).

MATCH REFEREE: D.C. Boon (Australia).