England vs South Africa 2017: 5 players to watch out for in the One Day series
With the Champions Trophy imminent, two of the favourites going into the multi-nation tournament clash in a three-match One-Day series. South Africa, who are going into an ICC tournament as the favourites for the umpteenth time will be taking on England in their backyard in a series that should also serve as a warm-up to the main event.
England have made elephantine steps in One Day Internationals since the 2015 World Cup and have rejigged their side completely. The effects bore fruit in the World T20last year when they reached the finals only to lose out to West Indies because of Carlos Braithwaite’s heroics in the final over.
Ben Stokes, who delivered that horror show of a last over has seemingly recovered from that loss along with his team and go into the Champions Trophy in decent shape.
Their opponents, South Africa, are ranked number one in the format and boast of some prodigious talent in their ranks. While the Champions Trophy will present an altogether different challenge, the Proteas head into this series as the favourites to win.
With the 1st ODI in Leeds in 24th of May, we take a look at five players to watch out for in the three-match series.
#5 Jason Roy
The elegant England opener is symbolic of the wave of change the England limited overs team has undergone. An attacking batsman who loves to play his flat batted shots, Roy has risen to prominence at the top of the England batting line-up.
A frustrating IPL season with Gujarat Lions saw him benched for a large duration of the season because of the franchises' strength at the top. Roy soon made it evident that he wasn't pleased with the bench time and returned to England to play in the series against Ireland. Roy's starts will be vital for England against a powerful bowling line-up.