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Despite an impressive partnership between Mehrab Hussain (71) and Habibul Bashar (64), Bangladesh failed to take advantage of another rather disappointing performance by Zimbabwe’s bowlers and fielders. At the close they had 198 runs on the board for six wickets, with only Akram Khan of their top order remaining. For Zimbabwe, Raymond Price, with four wickets, had most reason to remember the day.Heath Streak, with some bitter experiences of the pitch behind him, put Bangladesh in to bat on winning the toss, expecting the usual early life. There was indeed a certain amount of movement, but it was not excessive and the bowlers did not bowl quite well enough to take full advantage of it. The outfield, dead slow for the one-dayers, had improved to be merely slow. After the first hour, it could almost be described as a 400-run pitch coupled with a 200-run outfield.Javed Omar was not to repeat his superb batting double of Bulawayo, as with only a single to his credit he snicked Streak to Andy Blignaut at third slip. Mehrab Hussain and Al Sahariar stood firm for a while against bowling that did not apply enough pressure and were helped by the occasional misfield. Then Streak showed what might have been achieved by consistent accuracy as Al Sahariar (11) failed to keep down a rising ball and was well held by the diving Grant Flower in the gully.Runs came at just under two an over, but it was not really an absorbing struggle. Bangladesh might have felt reasonably satisfied at lunch with two wickets down on a pitch assisting the bowlers had not Ray Price been brought on to bowl his left-arm spinners just before the break, and had Aminul Islam caught at slip by Alistair Campbell for 12. Mehrab was still there, having batted through the session for a watchful 21.With the pitch as usual playing more easily after lunch, Mehrab and Habibul Bashar settled in and then began to take toll of the bowling, choosing skillfully the right deliveries to hit. Mehrab enjoyed two lives, one early on and a second after reaching his 50. The scoring rate gradually increased and Zimbabwe toiled without taking any more wickets by tea. Mluleki Nkala was the most economical of the pace bowlers but Blignaut and Brighton Watambwa were wayward.After tea Bashar’s 50 was quickly followed by the century partnership, and the batsman celebrated by swinging Price over midwicket for six. At last the tourists were beginning to provide a much-needed wake-up call for Zimbabwe’s bowlers in this series. They added 114 for the fourth wicket before Bashar (64) leapt down the pitch to Price and was stumped. Shortly afterwards Mehrab (71) pulled the same bowler straight to Stuart Carlisle at midwicket and at 171 for five Bangladesh had undone much of their hard work. Their team would be disappointed that neither stayed for the really big innings required.The second new ball came with two new batsmen at the crease, but again Streak and Blignaut failed to use it to full advantage. Price returned after six overs with it and had Naimur Rahman (16) given out to a high-looking lbw decision just before the close. Akram Khan (15*) and Mushfiqur Rahman (0*) saw out the day.

USA WIN THRILLER WITH TITLE IN THEIR SIGHTSIn what was probably the game of the tournament thus far, at Longchamps, the United States pulled off a thrilling last over victory over a spirited Bermuda to win by 1 wicket off the last ball of the match.Bermuda batted first and compiled 140 for 6 in their allotted 40 overs, reduced from 50 due to a delayed start due to early morning rain. Oliver Pitcher top-scored with 43 from 110 balls, while opening bat Aaron Adams made 36. Joy Zinto proved to be the most miserly of the five USA bowlers used, conceding only 12 runs in his 8 overs with one wicket.The Bermudan bowling proved just as effective, and the USA struggled to take control in their run chase of what was a relatively modest target. It was left to tailenders Zinto and Narine and a 10th wicket partnership of 9 runs to see the US team home. Earlier Khan, with 33, Hoilett, 31, and Bacchus with 33, all made important contributions to the cause.Herbie Bascome bowled superbly for figures of 8 overs, 3 for 19, and was well backed up by Durham, 3 for 31, and Leverock, 2 for 21. This win for the USA, coupled with the Caymans loss against Canada, leaves the US clear at the top of the table with only one game remaining, a vital clash against the Cayman Islands, again at Longchamps.BAHAMAS SHOCK HOST NATION FOR HISTORIC WINThe Bahamas pulled off a huge upset at Hurlingham with a 19 run victory over hosts Argentina. Armstrong and Atkinson were the core batsmen to with half-centuries to help the Americas Cup minnows to a respectable 187 all out in 48,1 overs. The two contrasting innings, Armstrong 50 in 90 balls, and Atkinson, 59 in 66 balls, combined for a crucial 72 run fourth wicket partnership.Lucas Paterlini was again the pick of the Argentine bowlers, with 3 for 19 in 9,1 overs, while left-arm spinner Hernan Pereyra took 3 for 38.A disastrous start for Argentina, with star batsman Matias Paterlini dismissed by Garcia Blair off the first ball of the Argentine reply, and the innings stopped and started as the hosts made heavy weather of the run chase to eventually be all out for 148 in 48,5 overs. A lot of starts, with 6 players getting well into double figures but not continuing on as needed. The Ferguson brothers, Alejandro and Paul, both made 28, and Irigoyen 24.Blair ended with 2 for 27, Armstrong 3 for 33 and Bennette 2 for 23, to clinch a historic win against Associate opposition for the Bahamas in their first tournament at this level.CANADA WIN GIVES THEM HOPE OF TITLE DEFENCECanada posted an important 25 run victory over the Cayman Islands to give themselves an outside chance of retaining their Americas Cup title at Belgrano.In a match reduced to 42 overs per side due to early rain, Canada batted first and posted 198 for 9, with Maraj top-scoring with exactly 50 off 86 balls. Samad continued his good form with the bat with a quick 33 in one ball less.For the Caymans, Bovell was again outstanding with 3 for 47, as was Michael Wight with 3 for 32.Due to their slow over-rate, the Caymans innings was reduced to 38 overs. Things looked good with their total at 49 for 1 after 8 overs. Then two unneccessary run outs, and two wickets in two balls by left-arm spinner Kevin Sandher rocked the Caymans to see them slide to 61 for 5 in the 12th over, and eventually reach 173 for 8 in 38 overs.Pearson Best top-scored with 35, Bovell made 25, and David Wight was undefeated on 26. For Canada, the pick of the bowlers was captain De Groot with 3 for 40, while Sandher finished with 2 for 17.All set for the final day of the 2002 Americas Cup, with three teams in with a chance of winning. The USA need to beat the Cayman Islands at Longchamps to win the tournament outright, while should the Caymans win, and Canada beat the Bahamas at Hurlingham, there will be a three-way tie at the top of the table, and most probably the teams will have to be separated by net run rate. In the other game, Argentina will be looking for their first win of the tournament against Bermuda at Belgrano. All games on this final day start at 09h30.

Justin Langer will complete his duties with Australia’s Test team in Brisbane before an expected announcement of his appointment as the new coach of Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers.Following the resignation of the WA coach Lachlan Stevens, Langer was approved as the WACA’s “preferred candidate” for the job at a board meeting on Wednesday night.However he will aid Australia’s tilt at securing a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series against South Africa at the Gabba before returning home to Perth.Langer had been keen to seek a senior coaching role for some time, applying for the WA job previously and also the Australian coaching role following Tim Nielsen’s exit. More recently he had been in discussions with Somerset about joining the county side as director of cricket.”We respect Justin has a very important job to do over the next five days assisting the Australian team in what is a vital match against the world’s number one Test team,” the WACA chief executive Christina Matthews said.”We will therefore allow him to concentrate on that task before we intend to speak with him about the position of Warriors and Scorchers Head Coach, and hope to make a positive announcement shortly after the completion of the Brisbane Test.”Adam Voges, meanwhile, has been confirmed as WA’s captain for the rest of the 2012-13 season. Voges led WA to a nine-wicket loss against Victoria at the MCG on Wednesday night.”Adam has served as vice-captain of the Warriors since 2007-08 and in that time he has skippered the team on a number of occasions in the absence of Marcus North,” Matthews said. “He is an outstanding leader and we are of the firm belief that he is the best man to lead the Warriors for the rest of the summer.”

What could have been a great day for the New Zealanders in the second National Bank Test against Pakistan in Christchurch lost some of its lustre in the last session when a vital catch was dropped.Still on a high after 25-year-old Mathew Sinclair’s achievement in scoring a second double century, 204 not out, in his 12-test career, New Zealand had Pakistan reeling at 25/2, which should have been 42/3 but for a dropped catch by second slip Nathan Astle.Inzamam-ul-Haq, just back from a groin injury, was on 10 when he edged a catch to Astle, who in normal circumstances would have swallowed the chance, but who is anything but the natural player he has been, and he managed to let the opportunity slip.For a side which earmarked a fatal dropped catch of Younis Ahmed as the losing of the first Test in Auckland, it was a bitter sweet moment and one they will be looking to put behind them when Pakistan resume tomorrow on 65/2.But it was Sinclair’s day. His was a superb innings, a mixture of applied concentration and forthright disposal of hittable balls.He started the day on 100 not out, and another 275 minutes and 187 balls later, he walked from the ground with New Zealand 476 all out and unbeaten having joined Glenn Turner as the only New Zealanders to have scored two double centuries in Tests.Sinclair acknowledged the support of his team-mates who managed one of the more consistent innings of the summer.He did have the rare advantage of starting his innings with the New Zealand openers having put 100 runs on the board. And he made the most of it.The new ball wasn’t as fresh as it has been in his most recent outings and it offered him some comfort as he began his innings.”I have been very conscious of playing the vee. I hit it a heck of a lot straighter, but they bowled some pretty good channels,” he said.Sinclair said he enjoyed an interesting tussle with off spinner Saqlain Mushtaq.”He is an amazing bowler. You can’t help but admire anyone who can bowl a mystery ball like he does. It is different to anything I’ve ever faced before.”I still found it hard to try and pick the ball.”It was a good challenge and I got one back at him, I told him ‘If you can teach me to bowl the other one, I’ll teach you how to bat,'” he said.Sinclair did show outstanding concentration in coming to grips with Saqlain’s other ball and especially as he started running out of partners with only the ill-equipped lower order batsmen left.With the worst No 11 batsman in the world, Chris Martin, with him at the crease, Sinclair looked like being stranded on 196 but Waqar Younis managed to miss the wickets for three balls in succession and Sinclair had his chance.”I think I fooled him a little. They brought the field in and he bowled one short of a length on leg stump and I picked the right shot,” Sinclair said.It went for six over square leg, the shortest boundary on the ground to take him to 202.Sinclair said the response of the side after the humiliation in Auckland had shown the gutsiness Kiwis show after they had been knocked down and wanted to get back up again.Certainly he had good support today with Craig McMillan helping him add 45 runs for the fifth wicket while Adam Parore scored 46 as 101 runs were added for the seventh wicket.”I guess it is about patience. It is great as a batsman to wear fast bowlers down,” he said.Saqlain bowled well throughout, constantly testing the batsmen and had his reward with 3-134. Fazl-e-Akbar took 3-87 while Waqar’s tidying up of the tail ended with him having 3-114.The full list of New Zealand’s double century makers in Test cricket is:

Martin Crowe 299 v Sri Lanka Wellington 1990/91Bryan Young 267* v Sri Lanka Dunedin 1996/97Glenn Turner 259 v West Indies Georgetown 1971/72Graham Dowling 239 v India Christchurch 1967/68Bert Sutcliffe 230* v India New Delhi 1955/56Glenn Turner 223* v West Indies Kingston 1971/72Mathew Sinclair 214 v West Indies Wellington 1999/00Martin Donnelly 206 v England Lord’s 1949Mathew Sinclair 204* v Pakistan Christchurch 2000/01

Sinclair is the 43rd player to have scored two Test double centuries, joining an illustrious group of batsmen:Dennis Amiss, Marvan Atapattu, Allan Border, Don Bradman, Greg Chappell, Denis Compton, Sunil Gavaskar, Graham Gooch, David Gower, Gordon Greenidge, Wally Hammond, Hanif Mohammad, Neil Harvey, George Headley, Len Hutton, Javed Miandad, Sanath Jayasuriya, Dean Jones, Vinod Kambli, Rohan Kanhai, Gary Kirsten, Brian Lara, Bill Lawry, Vinoo Mankad, Dudley Nourse, Seymour Nurse, Eddie Paynter, Graeme Pollock, Qasim Umar, Viv Richards, Lawrence Rowe, Dilip Sardesai, Shoaib Mohammad, Bob Simpson, Gary Sobers, Mark Taylor, Sachin Tendulkar, Glenn Turner, Doug Walters, Everton Weekes, Frank Worrell, Zaheer Abbas.

A day after some former India players questioned Yuvraj Singh’s fitness and asked for him to be dropped, MS Dhoni has reiterated that Yuvraj is in shape for Twenty20 cricket and that his place in the India XI is not in doubt. Yuvraj took 2 for 16 in three overs and made an unbeaten 19 in India’s win against Pakistan.”When it comes to fitness, as far as this format is concerned, he looks very fit for this format,” Dhoni said. “I think he has done a lot [of work] in the last few months. It is not like he has played cricket straight in the World Twenty20. Before this he has spent a lot of time at the National Cricket Academy and after that he played a bit of active domestic cricket. He looks good. I am not really concerned about his fitness.”Yuvraj was quite sharp in the field on Sunday, stopping a possible boundary off the first legal delivery of the match with a dive at point. He also ran out Yasir Arafat later with a direct hit from point. He did take some time, though, to catch his breath while batting after running sharp singles or a couple.Dhoni has repeatedly said he missed Yuvraj the part-time bowler while he was undergoing treatment for cancer. Given how vulnerable India’s attack has looked of late, the package of skills Yuvraj offers Dhoni makes him too valuable to be left out. He got the important wickets of Nasir Jamshed and Kamran Akmal, to leave Pakistan struggling at 49 for 4.”Yuvi was already in the team, the fact whether Yuvi should play or not was not even considered,” Dhoni said. “Especially when we play with seven batsmen, the role of the part-timers is very important. Virat [Kohli] is one option but a left-arm away-going option is good to have. Here Yuvi’s role is important. We all know that he is a good fielder as well. Today he effected a good run-out as well. If we are playing with four specialist bowlers then it is difficult to leave out Yuvraj.”And his batting today will give him a lot of confidence, because even if you play in the domestic circuit you don’t get bowlers who bowl at the international level. He will take a lot of positives from all these matches. We all know once he gets going he is a terrific batsman to have in the side.”

ScorecardDarren Stevens continued his impressive campaign with the bat•Getty Images

Darren Stevens recorded his third Championship century of the season as Kent piled on the runs against Division Two rivals Gloucestershire on a rain-shortened second day. Responding to Kent’s 474 all out, the visitors went in at stumps on 80 without loss after 29 overs to trail by 394 at the mid-point of this 162nd Canterbury Cricket Week clash.Stevens, who earlier in the month was charged by the ICC for his failure toreport a corrupt approach while playing for the Dhaka Gladiators in February, made light of the pressure to build on his overnight score of 98 not out.Heavy morning showers had delayed Stevens and the resumption of Kent’s first innings until umpires’ inspections at 1.30pm and 2pm, with play finally allowed to start at 2.20pm. The 37-year-old Stevens needed only two deliveries to reach his hundred by clipping a loose delivery from left-arm seamer David Payne to the ropes at square leg for the 18th boundary of a 127-ball ton.His innings ended selflessly for 126 when – with his side needing seven runs for a fifth batting bonus point and with only four balls remaining before the 110-over cut-off – Stevens top-edged an attempted pull against Benny Howell to be caught by Michael Klinger at short extra cover.Home captain James Tredwell followed in the next over for a season’s best 48 when he steered a Craig Miles legcutter to Chris Dent at second slip to make it 399 for 8. With useful double-figure contributions throughout the tail, including an unbeaten 44 by Calum Haggett, Kent reached 474 before last man Charlie Shreck lost his leg stump just after 4.30pm.Meanwhile, Kent confirmed that Matthew Coles, their 23-year-old strike bowler, has turned down a contract extension and is set to leave the club.

ScorecardDaniel Bell-Drummond, seen here for England Under-19s, made Kent’s only half-century•Getty Images

Australian seamer Michael Hogan recorded 6 for 65 as Glamorgan claimed a useful 220-run lead on day three against Kent at Cardiff. That advantage could prove to be a decisive one in a low-scoring game in which another 12 wickets fell on day two to match the 15 that tumbled on the opening day.Glamorgan ended the third day on 237 for 7, opener Gareth Rees top-scoring with 52. That was after Daniel Bell-Drummond had provided 78 before Kent were bowled out for 175 in their first innings. It gave the visitors a slender lead of 17.Kent had resumed day two on 102 for 5, still trailing by 56 runs with Bell-Drummond reaching his half-century from 111 balls. But, with the visitors on 136 for 5, tall seamer Mike Reed bowled Adam Riley with a full-length delivery.Hogan grabbed the important wicket of Bell-Drummond, lbw, and then two balls later the Australian bowled Mark Davies off his pad. Charlie Shreck edged behind in the next over to end the innings, before Rees negotiated the only over remaining in the morning session.In the afternoon Rees went on to complete his half-century as the Welsh county reached 121 for 3 by tea – a lead of 104. But Glamorgan did not make the best of starts to the innings, finding themselves 15 for 2 inside seven overs. Will Bragg departed lbw to Davies, who only two balls later claimed the prize scalp of Murray Goodwin caught behind.But Rees and Chris Cooke added 67 for the third wicket, helped by Rees despatching offspinner Riley by straight-driving the youngster for four and six. But in the next over Riley responded by having Cooke caught at short leg by Bell-Drummond.Glamorgan reached the 100 mark in the 32nd over before Rees completed a 92-ball fifty shortly before tea. But he perished straight after the interval, edging Calum Haggett behind. Haggett then trapped Ben Wright, Glamorgan’s top scorer in the first innings, lbw with the total on 155. Riley then had Jim Allenby caught at deep backward square after miscuing a sweep on 29.Ruaidhri Smith and Mark Wallace guided Glamorgan to 200, but that was followed by Wallace edging Shreck behind. Smith and Dean Cosker ended the day ensuring Glamorgan would have a lead in excess of 200.

Match facts

Saturday, July 20, 2013
Start time 1430 local (0900 GMT)JP Duminy is one of only two players in the current South Africa squad to have some experience of playing in Sri Lankan conditions•AFP

Big picture

One of the more interesting statistical quirks that has been uncovered in the lead-up to the first match of the series is that only two members in South Africa’s 15-man squad have played an ODI in Sri Lanka before. Robin Peterson played two matches, in 2002 and 2004 but did not bat in either game, while JP Duminy played the entire series in 2004. Neither man has been a part of a victory.Though most of this squad will have played elsewhere in Asia, Sri Lanka’s heat, humidity and pitch conditions are a different enough challenge for South Africa’s inexperience to shape up as a major deficiency. More seasoned South African hands have come to Sri Lanka in the past, and had little to show for their time here, losing nine out of ten completed ODIs against the hosts.On arrival this time, South Africa captain AB de Villiers suggested that perhaps the inexperience was an advantage, as the squad does not collectively bear the psychological burden of previous losses. Given that Sri Lanka, too, are a vastly changed side, he may have a point. Sri Lanka’s middle order is now a liability, even in their own conditions, and the bowling attack lacks the penetration that has daunted touring sides in previous years.The home side are also playing their first two matches under their youngest captain. Dinesh Chandimal has both the talent and intellect to become a fine leader in the future but he has not justified his place in the side over the last two months and is under added pressure to turn his form around. He is in charge of an attack that is without its most dependable seam bowler, as Nuwan Kulasekara has been ruled out of the first two games due to a finger injury.There are tougher first assignments for a 23-year old captain, but Chandimal will need more than just his characteristic on-field effervescence if South Africa’s explosive batting order begins to fire. He does have the experience of the three senior batsmen to fall back on though, and their presence and good form gives Sri Lanka the edge in the first encounter.

Form guide

(most recent first, last five completed matches)
Sri Lanka: LLWWL
South Africa: LTWLW

Players to watch

Aaron Phangiso had a decent outing in the warm-up match, taking two wickets for 39, but, after two mediocre showings, he will be eager to prove he can cut it at the top level and kick-off his international career. The tawny-coloured pitch should be more helpful than the ones he is used to at home and, as South Africa’s most naturally attacking spinner, he might do well to quell the nerves early and focus on good flight. Sri Lanka’s top six may feature three left-handers, which will make the left-arm spinner’s job more difficult.
Shaminda Eranga will want to forget the last over that he bowled in international cricket. Faced with defending 15 runs off the last five balls of the innings, Eranga was flattened by MS Dhoni’s phenomenal finishing. The selectors have indicated he is a talent they would like to develop in both ODIs and Tests and, in Kulasekara’s absence, Eranga would do well to introduce the consistency that has been missing from his bowling so far.

Pitch and conditions

Despite cloudy skies for much of the week and an unseasonal deluge two days before the match, the ground staff at the R Premadasa have prepared a surface likely to assist spin, with some likely assistance for the new ball bowlers as well. Showers are forecast for late in the evening, but there is a good chance that there will be enough time to get a result, at the very least.

Team news

Tillakaratne Dilshan is said to have fully recovered from the calf tear that prevented him from traveling to the West Indies, while a niggle that Lahiru Thirimanne picked up in the Carribean appears to have healed as well. Upul Tharanga will likely open alongside Dilshan, after his 174 not out against India in that tournament, while Angelo Perera may be in line for a debut. Ajantha Mendis’ selection depends on whether Sri Lanka decide they need a second frontline spinner.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Dinesh Chandimal, 6 Lahiru Thirimanne, 7 Angelo Perera/Thisara Perera, 8 Rangana Herath, 9 Shaminda Eranga, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Suranga Lakmal/ Ajantha Mendis.South Africa continue to wait on Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe, both of whom have a 50% chance of playing, according to AB de Villiers. Morkel felt tightness in his thigh, where he suffered his most recent injury, while Tsotsobe’s problematic ankle has flared up again. De Villiers said South Africa would look to play two frontline spinners whenever possible in this series, but they could end up fielding a an inexperienced pace attack on Saturday.South Africa (probable): 1 Hashim Amla, 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 JP Duminy, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Faf du Plessis, 6 David Miller, 7 Ryan Mclaren, 8 Robin Peterson, 9 Aaron Phangiso, 10 Chris Morris, 11 Rory Kleinveldt/ Morne Morkel.

Quotes

Dinesh Chandimal on having the seniors around in his first match as ODI captain
AB de Villiers on South Africa’s record in Sri Lanka

Match Facts

Wednesday, June 19
Start time 1030 (0930 GMT)Questions about Graeme Swann’s fitness remain for England•Getty Images

The Big Picture

South Africa at The Oval, with Hashim Amla in the line up: it’s a thought to make even Alastair Cook sweat. Go back further and the ground played host to a one-sided thrashing during the 1999 World Cup, the defeat so damaging in terms of net run rate that it went a long way to seeing England knocked out of the competition they were hosting.But England have won their last two encounters in global 50-over tournaments – in Centurion and Chennai – and will take comfort from South Africa’s return to The Oval for an ODI last summer. Amla made 268 runs fewer than the 311 he amassed in the first Test, and was removed by no less a bowler than Jade Dernbach, before Jonathan Trott’s patient half-century was followed a brisker one from Eoin Morgan in a four-wicket win. Sounds like a good formula, doesn’t it? That the series finished 2-2 suggests these teams are reasonably well matched.Both have experienced a few malfunctions in progressing to the knockout stage. England, one-time hot favourites, have cooled like a custard left in the kitchen, their much-documented penchant for platform-building lampooned in various quarters. Wear and tear to Graeme Swann – though James Tredwell has proven an able deputy – and the bowlers’ inability to defend 293 against Sri Lanka mean they have long been usurped by India as frontrunners.AB de Villiers, meanwhile, has had to contend with injuries to his two strike bowlers, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel – the latter tournament-ending – plus familiar jiggery pokery with Duckworth-Lewis (though this time it came to South Africa’s aid). A sole group win over a hapless Pakistan is not the sort of form to fill opponents with dread, nor is a record in 50-over knockout competition that boasts just one appearance in a final, 15 years ago. At least they can take comfort in the knowledge that this match is unlikely to go the way of their 1992 World Cup semi-final against England.At last year’s World Twenty20, de Villiers was able to utter the word “choke” and not be immediately carted off. On this occasion, however, it is perhaps England who are more likely to be dragged down by an albatross around their necks. They have never won an ICC 50-over event and this may still be their best chance. Cook’s men can’t afford any more mistakes.

Form guide

(Most recent first, last five completed matches)
England WLWWL
South Africa TWLWW

Watch out for…

England’s lower middle-order has generally failed to live up to its billing in this tournament, a couple of Ravi Bopara cameos aside. While Cook, Ian Bell and Trott have been assiduously accumulating – and are accordingly England’s three leading scorers – Morgan and Jos Buttler have 51 runs, from 50 balls, between them. Cook has hit twice as many sixes (2) as both put together. The bang-to-buck ratio has been kept respectable by Bopara’s death hitting but another failure to launch could be costly.Much may rest on Steyn individually but it is South Africa’s bowlers as a group that will be under the microscope. The injured Morkel aside, they went missing against India, before a much-improved display gave them an all-important win over Pakistan. Steyn was the difference against West Indies but, on another night, Ryan McLaren’s three overs for 34 might have sent South Africa out of the competition. Bowling to England’s more orthodox batsmen could mitigate against similar trauma.

Team news

Cook said that Swann’s calf problem means he won’t be risked unless 100%, as England keep an eye on challenges ahead. Tim Bresnan didn’t train at The Oval on Tuesday, having left to visit his pregnant wife, now a couple of weeks overdue. He is likely to be replaced in the XI by Steven Finn, who has risen to No. 2 in the ODI bowler rankings despite having yet to feature in the tournament.England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Ian Bell, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Ravi Bopara, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 James Tredwell, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven FinnSteyn has a “good chance” of being fit, according to de Villiers, despite a groin problem that has superseded his previous side strain. Rory Kleinveldt or Aaron Phangiso are the likely back-up options, depending on the pitch, while Farhaan Behardien could be brought in to strengthen the batting, giving JP Duminy’s offspin more of a role. South Africa have used three different No. 3s in the tournament so far and further experimentation can’t be ruled out.South Africa (probable) 1 Colin Ingram, 2 Hashim Amla, 3 AB de Villiers (capt, wk), 4 JP Duminy, 5 Faf du Plessis, 6 David Miller, 7 Ryan McLaren 8 Robin Peterson 9 Chris Morris, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Lonwabo Tsotsobe

Pitch and conditions

The Oval has tended to be a touch quicker than the other two venues, though after ten days of cricket a wearing pitch should encourage spin. Some overnight rain is expected to clear in time for the start and there might even be a few rays of sunshine over Kennington during the afternoon.

Stats and trivia

• This will be South Africa’s first trip to London in this tournament. They have lost their last four ODIs at The Oval, including against West Indies during the 2004 Champions Trophy.
• AB de Villiers needs 36 runs to overtake Hansie Cronje as South Africa’s sixth-most prolific ODI batsman.
• Stuart Broad has taken 21 wickets at 15.61 against South Africa, his best average against any side in one-dayers.

Quotes

“He’s a fantastic player but all players are vulnerable early. If he gets in it’s a danger for us.”
“Unless we win this tournament, people will stay say you’re chokers, so no matter what happens it’s something we’ve dealt with.”

Mohammad Asif, the banned Pakistan fast bowler, has lost an appeal against his conviction in the spot-fixing case that marred Pakistan’s tour of England in 2010.In their ruling, three Court of Appeal judges in London said they were “not persuaded that there are any grounds, arguable or otherwise, for attacking the safety of the convictions of this applicant [Asif]. The renewed applications are accordingly dismissed.”According to Ravi Sukul, Asif’s legal counsel in London, the main reason for approaching the Court of Appeal was that a successful appeal could have influenced the ICC to reconsider the ban imposed on Asif in 2011.”The appeal was against the two convictions he had in 2011,” Sukul said. “The two convictions to me did not accord with the legal principles of that particular case. When I read the case papers I came to the conclusion that the judge who was trying the case may have made some legal technical errors and because of that I took the case to the Court of Appeal. But the three judges who were listening to the arguments this morning did not agree with me.”Asif, along with his team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir, had been found guilty of conspiring to bowl deliberate no-balls during the Lord’s Test. Butt was given a 30-month sentence, while Asif got 12 months and Amir six. Asif was released from jail in May 2012, after serving half his sentence.Even before their convictions by the Southwark Crown Court, the ICC had already banned the players from any sort of recognised cricket. Asif’s ban was for five years.Asif and Butt challenged their ICC bans at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, but their appeals were rejected in April.