As straightforward a win you are ever likely to see. South Africa have romped into the semi-finals as group winners, chasing down a target of 180 just two down, with 20.5 overs to spare. Bear in mind, they needed just 38.2 overs to bowl England out for 179.
David Miller finishes matters with a straight, clean six over Liam Livingstone’s head, with Rassie van der Dussen watching on at the other end with an unbeaten 72 under his arm. His stand of 127 in cahoots with Heinrich Klaasen, who was caught at short third off Adil Rashid for 63 looking to do what Miller achieved and close out the chase in emphatic fashion.
For England, they sign off their Champions Trophy campaign with another defeat, three from three, finishing bottom of the group. They were up against it from the start, three down inside the opening seven overs of their innings after Marco Jansen snuffed out the top order, before Wiaan Mulder’s three and a couple from Keshav Maharaj straggled what remained of a bedraggled batting card.
Jansen is the player of the match with 3 for 39: “It’s a good feeling. The boys worked really hard. It’s not the easiest conditions from a bowling point of view. There was no swing, which I’m not that happy about! But I’m happy with my performance. For me, I was just want to go to sleep now. But we’ll see tomorrow. We’ll just rest up and enjoy this win.”
South Africa and Australia will now have to wait until tomorrow’s match between India and New Zealand to see who and where they will be playing in the semi-finals. Both teams will head to the UAE overnight just in case.
