What did we learn from England's ODI series defeat in South Africa?

Slip up: England has lead the series 2-0

15 February 2016

England became only the third team to lose a five-match, one-day series from 2-0 up when they were defeated by South Africa at Newlands yesterday.

Eoin Morgan’s men won by 39 runs on the Duckworth Lewis method in Bloemfontein and by five wickets in Port Elizabeth but were crushed by seven wickets at Centurion and lost by one wicket in Johannesburg to set up yesterday’s decider, here, which the hosts won by five wickets.

What did we learn from the series?

England have come a long way since last year’s humiliating first-round exit from the World Cup. South Africa skipper AB De Villiers summed up their progress: “They are a fantastic one-day team,” he said. “To come back from rock bottom in that World Cup. The talent was always there but mentally they had to get through a few obstacles. They will be a team to deal with in the next few years, especially at the 2017 Champions Trophy and 2019 World Cup in England.”

Fielding is still a big problem

England should have won this series in Johannesburg but three dropped catches — especially Adil Rashid’s off Chris Morris — were costly. “Fielding,” was Trevor Bayliss’s response when asked why his team had blown it. “It’s an attitude thing. Some of us don’t want the ball to come anywhere near us.”

England have match-winners in form for the World T20

Joe Root scored hundreds in a losing cause at Centurion and Johannesburg with Alex Hales compiling another in Cape Town. Hales came of age, scoring 383 runs as he became the first England batsman to post five successive 50-plus scores in a single ODI series. Their form bodes well with the World T20 in India next month.

Reece is the word

He jinxed England with his prediction of a 5-0 whitewash after they had won the first two games but the 21-year-old left-armer showed his potential by becoming the leading wicket-taker with 10 at an average of 21.90.

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What did we learn from England's ODI series defeat in South Africa?

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