Friday, November 27, 2009

Six wins from seven starts ... a statistic that looked like an anomaly is starting to take on a life of its own, as England continue their improbable dominance of South Africa in 50-over cricket. At Centurion on Sunday, Paul Collingwood marked his national-record 171st appearance with a sublime allround performance, as England exacted satisfying vengeance for their humiliation in the previous week's second Twenty20.

Their seven-wicket victory showcased the unfamiliar vein of confidence that is running through the squad at present, and while Andrew Strauss has made caution a watchword throughout his impressive tenure as England captain, it's fair to suggest that they have got their opponents a little bit rattled at present.

Mickey Arthur, South Africa's coach, has not been short of a word or two in this series, but his attempts at psychological warfare have so far fallen on impassive ears. Jonathan Trott, the principal object of his ire, ignored the boo-boys and fronted up with a critical 87 to anchor England's run-chase at Centurion, and though Arthur's other target, Adil Rashid, has been rather subdued in his two appearances to date, he can hardly be regarded as a pivotal figure in England's plans just yet.

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