3 player battles to watch out for in the 2nd SA vs ENG ODI

After a thrilling series opener, South Africa and England will lock horns in the second ODI of the three-match rubber at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Sunday, January 29.

The series, which is a part of the ICC ODI World Cup Super League, is pivotal to the Proteas' cause of securing direct qualification for the marquee event in India later this year.

The opening game on Friday, January 27, turned out to be a thriller of the highest order, with South Africa successfully defending 298 despite a blistering 146-run opening run stand from England's openers Jason Roy and Dawid Malan.

One team has the series on the line and the other simply needs to pocket 10 Super League points up for grabs to avoid going through the Qualifiers. Clearly, there is a lot at stake for both sides ahead of Sunday's encounter.

To that end, a number of player battles could only determine the fate of the two teams in the second ODI. Let's look at three such battles to watch out for:

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#1 Anrich Nortje vs Jos Buttler

No phase was as exciting as the one when Anrich Nortje ran in at full throttle in the first ODI. When he prized out England captain Jos Buttler and got him to nick behind, it flipped the game in South Africa's favor for good.

Nortje's raw pace and controlled lengths make him one of the most difficult propositions to face in world cricket. Yet, Buttler isn't one to shy away from expressing himself and is known to take the game head-on.

With neither set to give an inch, we could well be on for a Sunday blockbuster once they go up against each other in Bloemfontein.

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#2 Quinton de Kock vs Moeen Ali

It is well-documented that Quinton de Kock has shown a susceptibility against right-arm off-spin and it is a regular match-up that teams look to deploy. England did the same in the first ODI when their new-ball bowlers failed to strike and Moeen Ali was called on to bowl in the first powerplay.

While Ali didn't dismiss De Kock, he forced a false stroke out of Temba Bavuma. If the new ball doesn't show signs of movement again in the second ODI, expect the visitors to deploy the same plan against South Africa's dashing opening batter.

De Kock boasts a much better record against Ali in ODIs, however, as against the T20 format. This only adds another layer of intrigue should the two come up against each other again.

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#3 Tabraiz Shamsi vs Harry Brook

It wasn't a debut to remember for Harry Brook, as the prodigious batter departed for a duck in the series opener against South Africa. If England are to turn things around and level the series, they will need the Yorkshireman to rock up and turn in an impactful display with the bat.

Brook is better off with pace on the ball and South Africa can use spin as a means of tying him down. To that end, Tabraiz Shamsi comes into the mix with his canny left-arm wrist-spinners.

What makes this match-up fascinating is the fact that Shamsi, too, endured a forgettable outing on Friday. In what could well be a match-up of confidence, whoever breaks first between the two could end up deciding which team has the upper hand in the contest.

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Can England bounce back to level the series against South Africa? Let us know in the comments section below!

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