ICC Champions Trophy semi-finals: Top five players to look out for when England face South Africa

After considerable upheaval, the Champions Trophy finally has its semi-finalists. South Africa will take on England at The Oval on Wednesday in a match that will decide who will move on to the finals. Both the teams had an exciting group campaign that saw them lose one game each. Coincidentally, both those teams, namely India and Sri Lanka, will contest in the other semi-final. South Africa suffered a setback at the head of the campaign when they lost Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel to injury. The impact of that setback was heavy as they were comprehensively outplayed by India; but the entry of Chris Morris combined with the return of Dale Steyn turned their fortunes. On the other hand, England have given consistent displays with their batting and their top order looks in excellent shape. James Anderson has been the pick of the bowlers with 8 wickets in 3 matches.

The Proteas have a 2-1 lead over England in this tournament, and they will be hoping that history repeats itself. England will enjoy the support of the crowd and home conditions. Both the teams have individuals who can come into a situation and turn the match on its head. These players will be eager to unleash themselves on a stage that is as big as the semi-final of a major ICC event. Here is a list of five players who are likely to take the spotlight when South Africa face England:

5. James Tredwell

When the tournament began, not many people would have given a chance to the spinners; but the drier surfaces in England have meant that slower bowlers continue to dominate the stage in the shorter version of the game. South Africa are not particularly adept at playing spin, and England would want Tredwell to exploit the conditions to the fullest so that they can be shackled in the middle overs. With Graeme Swann out with an injury, the off-spinner will have the additional incentive of throwing in his hat for the Ashes with a good performance.

4. AB De Villiers

The South African captain wears many hats in this team. He has been given the charge of the team for this tournament ahead of the likes of Kallis and Graeme Smith, indicating a commitment to the 2015 World Cup. He has lived up to the expectations so far, but will be eager to put in a stellar performance with the bat to lead from the front. He has managed to get more than a few starts in this competition, but has not been able to convert them into an innings of substance. The middle order will need an anchorman if England are able to make initial breakthroughs. He will also contribute with his imaginative captaincy.

3. Hashim Amla

The elegant right-handed opener has been the most consistent batsman in international cricket over the last few years. He will have fond memories of The Oval because of his mammoth innings of 311 here, and will come into the match with high levels of confidence. He has the skill, technique and the experience that is required to dismantle this English bowling line-up. Moreover, he is a player on song as he played a wonderful innings against Pakistan in the group stage. England will want to dismiss him as early as possible if they want to restrict South Africa to a moderate total.

2. Jonathan Trott

If South Africa have Hashim Amla, England have Jonathan Trott in their top order. The batsman has already amassed a few runs in this tournament with a quality innings of 76 against Sri Lanka. The English top order has been doing the job for the team in this competition. They have been able to anchor the innings for their lower order, which boasts of significant firepower now with Eoin Morgan, Bopara and Jos Butler. If Trott can play that anchor role for England, they are likely to put up a big score on board and that will be difficult for South Africa to chase given England’s potent bowling line-up.

1. James Anderson/Dale Steyn

It is a contest for the top spot. Dale Steyn and Anderson are the two top contenders for the title of ‘the best fast bowler in international cricket’. Both the players play specific roles for their respective sides. They are wicket-takers upfront with their dangerous lateral movement, and they hinder the flow of runs at the death with their different abilities. Steyn relies on his pace, whereas Anderson depends on accurate line and length. Come Wednesday, the winner of this contest might dictate the tilt of this contest and, who knows, perhaps the direction of this competition.