England outlasted South Africa in a nervy finish to win the third and final ODI by 59 runs in Kimberley on Wednesday to prevent the hosts from claiming valuable Super League points.

The Proteas won the series 2-1, but the game served as a vital opportunity for them to earn enough log points to directly qualify for the ICC World Cup later this year. It wasn’t to be for SA and as a result of their loss they may need to now take the long route to qualify for the World Cup.

SA won the toss and elected to bowl first on the day. England posted a higher-than-expected 346-7 after experiencing an early fright of losing their first three wickets inside the opening six overs thanks to Lungi Ngidi’s variation with ball-in-hand. 

However, due to a massive 232-run stand between Jos Buttlerand Dawid Malan that lasted 35 overs, England managed to ascend to their winning total.

Malan was the first to break, scoring 118 off 114 balls after starting the innings at a snail’s pace. He got picked off by Sisanda Magala in the 41^st over. Moeen Ali struck a quick-fire 41 in the latter parts of the innings before Butler – finally – got caught out in the 48^th over for a comprehensive 131 from 127 balls. 

Ngidi claimed fine figures of 4/62 from his allotted 10 overs.

In their pursuit, the Proteas got off to a solid start – much better than that of England in the beginning at least. To put it into context, England was 20-3 after 10 overs, whereas SA was well-placed on 55-1 after 10. 

Skipper Temba Bavuma was in good touch during that opening stanza, having cruised to 35 before a haphazard lob shot saw him get caught at mid-off in the ninth over. Rassie van derDussen fell in the 12^th over for 5 after getting caught by a flying catch at point.

Reeza Hendricks’ hard-worked and patient innings came to an end in the 19^th after being bowled down leg stump – with the ball darting through his legs – to be sent packing for a tentative 52.

Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen put up a decent 46-run stand in the middle of their chase, before the latter sliced the ball straight up to be caught at mid-wicket for 39. 

England’s bowling attack showed some flaring retaliation when they got the danger man, David Miller, for 13 in the 28^th over, courtesy of aggressive bowling from Jofra Archer. Miller inside-edged the ball to first slip and Marco Jansen almost fell in identical fashion the very next ball, but he was dropped.

It started to look ominous for the Proteas when Jansen bottom-edged an Adil Rashid googly to be sent walking for 12 in the 31^stover. However, Klaasen and Wayne Parnell had reignited their chase to form a decisive 85-run partnership, before the former hooked the ball to deep fine leg to be caught for 80 from 62 deliveries.

Magala snicked an outside-spin to go for 2 in the 41^st over, before Parnell got bowled for 34 by Archer the next over for the quick-pacer to claim his five-for. It didn’t take long for England to clean up the tail as Archer claimed superb figures of 6/40. SA was bowled out for 287.

SA will now host Netherlands in two ODIs at Centurion at the end of March in what will be their last couple of Super League encounters in which to rack up points.