Klaasen ton powers South Africa to huge total against England

Heinrich Klaasen © Getty Images

A magnificent century from Heinrich Klaasen and fluent 85 from Reeza Hendricks saw South Africa post a daunting total of 399-7 after being asked to bat first in their World Cup group match against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.

It is the highest total ever conceded by England, the defending World Cup champions.

Klaasen reached 50 from 40 balls with eight fours but required just another 21 deliveries to post his fifth ODI century from 61 balls with 10 fours and four mighty sixes. Hendricks made the most of a last-minute call up to the starting XI to post a fluent 85 from just 75 balls to lay an important platform.

Rassie van der Dussen (60) and Aiden Markram (42) also contributed valuable runs against an England attack struggling with injury, illness and the debilitating heat and humidity and the finishing touches with the bat were applied by Marco Jansen who posted his maiden half century before finishing with a brutally destructive and career best 75* (3×4, 6×6) from only 42 balls.

A second wicket stand of 121 between Hendricks and van der Dussen put the innings on a solid footing after Quinton de Kock cover drove the first ball of the match for four and then edged the second from Reece Topley to ‘keeper Jos Buttler.

Hendricks scored just six runs from his first 18 balls during a cautious start which paid rich dividends later when he exploded with a flurry of classic, attacking strokes which brought him nine fours and three sixes before an Adil Rashid googly snuck onto his stumps via and inside edge within sight of a century.

Van der Dussen’s expertly paced innings containing eight fours from 61 deliveries ended when a top-edged slog sweep against Rashid was caught be Jonny Bairstow who also held a fine boundary catch to end Markram’s innings.

South African captain, Temba Bavuma, was ruled out of the contest due to an overnight illness with Aiden Markram taking over the captaincy and Hendricks given just 15 minutes notice before the toss that he would be opening the batting.

England struggled desperately in the heat with Topley also leaving the field for extended treatment to a finger injury while Rashid was struggling with stomach cramps.

All of England’s bowlers suffered but none more than pace spearhead Mark Wood (7-0-76-0) and Topley (8.5-0-88-3) who bravely returned with his bowling hand strapped but was clearly struggling to grip the ball.

None of which made any difference to the quality of South Africa’s ruthless hitting which saw 143 runs scored of the final 10 overs and an eye-watering 84 of the last five.

SOUTH AFRICA: Quinton de Kock (wkt), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram (captain), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

ENGLAND:Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (captain & wkt), David Willey, Adil Rashid, Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, Reece Topley