England vs South Africa 2017: 2nd ODI, 5 talking points
Mark Wood bowled a sensational final over to defend 7 runs and win the series and the game for England by 2 runs at the Ageas Bowl in the second ODI against South Africa. Sent in to bat first, Ben Stokes' hundred took England to yet another 300+ total, 330 this time.
South Africa were strong in the chase, matching England stroke for stroke with Quinton de Kock and AB de Villiers looking in ominous touch. Liam Plunkett's cutters accounted for de Villiers and Moeen Ali got rid of de Kock for 98 to leave David Miller and Chris Morris to do what they do best, finishing.
Miller returned to form with some sublime strokes while Morris was quick to slam anything in his arc. However, Mark Wood, who was England's best bowler alongside Plunkett yesterday, kept pounding the duo to get away bouncers on a two-paced wicket. Despite needing just 7 of the final over, Miller and Morris couldn't finish the game as Wood conceded just 4 runs.
Brief Scores: England 330/6 (Stokes 101, Buttler 65, Rabada 2/50) beat South Africa 328/5 (de Kock 98, Miller 71*, Plunkett 3/64)
Here are the talking points from the second ODI in Ageas Bowl.
#5 Ben Stokes gets into the groove
After all the injury concerns in the first ODI, England's premier all-rounder reassured his fans with a spectacular hundred after he was dropped off the first two balls by Amla and de Kock respectively.
Stokes slammed his first home hundred and his second in the format off 77 balls with three hits over the fence.
IPL's Most Valuable Player was attacking from the onset and got able support from Eoin Morgan and later from Jos Buttler. South Africa, without Stokes' Pune teammate, Imran Tahir, looked out of ideas with the ball as Stokes looked in ominous nick.
He fell with more than six overs left in the England innings but had by then ensured they were well on their way to a match-winning score.