Jofra Archer

Jofra Archer takes six wickets as England beat South Africa by 59 runs to deny Proteas a 3-0 ODI series sweep; England post 346-7 as Jos Buttler and Dawid ...

England's white-ball side are back in action in Bangladesh in March with three one-day internationals followed by as many T20 internationals. You need wicket-takers and England have got those in Archer and Rashid." He proved his value because South Africa had a bit of a charge on. Sky Sports Cricket's Nasser Hussain: "Bowling fast is not easy and he's got that Michael Holding effortless grace. Malan had been dropped on 28 by a leaping Reeza Hendricks at midwicket and then on 46 by Shamsi as the wrist-spinner leapt to his right in his follow through, with South Africa finally removing Malan when he skied a Sisanda Magala slower ball in the 41st over. Buttler (131 off 127) and Malan (118 off 114) rescued England from 14-3 with a 232-run partnership, propelling their side to 346-7 in Kimberley as 216 runs came from the final 20 overs, before South Africa were dismissed for 287 in 43.1 overs and England won by 59 runs.

Jofra Archer's career-best six for 40 after a rescue act with the bat from Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler ensured England ended their tour of South Africa with ...

There is a lot of learnings and confidence we can take from that. But with England desperate for a wicket as the target came down to 69 off the last 63 balls, Archer – who took one for 81 in his international comeback after a 22-month absence last Friday – was recalled and his slower ball did for Klaasen, with South Africa then subsiding to 287 all out in 43.1 overs. Jofra Archer’s career-best six for 40 after a rescue act with the bat from Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler ensured England ended their tour of South Africa with a consolatory victory.

South Africa v England, 3rd ODI 2023 reaction: England captain Jos Buttler praised bowler Jofra Archer for his 6 for 40 against South Africa at Kimberley.

"It's nice for us to finish with a win today. Today, we're delighted to get a win." It is not ideal in a World Cup year - as both Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali have implied with recent public comments. These three matches in South Africa have been squeezed in during two major franchise T20 tournaments, to which several England players are now returning, while a Test tour of New Zealand is imminent. We've got some excellent hitters to follow us so we wanted to extend the partnership as long as possible. South Africa struck with early wickets and it wasn't straightforward at the top.

Half-an-hour into the Third ODI here in Kimberley, England were doing a decent impression of the local tourist attraction, having dug themselves a Big Hole.

The new man, Aiden Markram, wore a bouncer first ball but was primed for the battle and responded with a crisp straight drive to the rope. Archer, back in the side after sitting out the middle of three matches, was made to wait as Chris Woakes and Reece Topley shared the new ball. Archer, though, would have the last laugh, making Markram his next victim during a stunning second spell that evoked memories of his whirlwind breakthrough in 2019. Already the only two Englishmen to have made centuries in all three formats, Buttler’s 131 was another display of his class, an 11th ODI hundred coming only three days after he had finished not-out in the nineties. Only six overs later, Malan took them to 150 in similarly emphatic style, before the scoring briefly slowed as both men edged more cautiously towards three figures. Malan got there first, cutting beautifully for four, and Buttler followed only two balls later, each, pleasingly, taking 106 deliveries to reach the landmark.

Jofra Archer picked up a maiden ODI five-wicket haul as England beat South Africa after a pair of magnificent hundreds from Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan.

It required a sound technique, an experienced temperament and a few strokes in the locker to put the pressure back on the bowlers. And thanks to Archer one that proved to be more than enough. [Dawid Malan](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/dawid-malan), who stroked his 3rd ODI hundred in just his 15th match to help Buttler rescue what had been a perilous situation at the start of the game. At 14-3 England found themselves in a big hole, although perhaps still not as big as the hole Kimberley is famous for. Guys getting hundreds and with the ball there are some brilliant things. This is what all the surgeries, physio sessions, and gym sessions have been about.

England won the third and final match against South Africa but had already lost the series.

While Reeza Hendricks guided South Africa into safer waters, he got in a tangle against Rashid’s leg-spin and deflected through his legs to be bowled for 52 off 61 balls. Moeen Ali missed with a peculiar attempt at a one-handed reverse sweep, but made contact with four sixes in 41 off 23 balls, an important cameo as Buttler started to flag. The South Africa captain, a centurion on Sunday, miscued a cleverly-disguised slower delivery to depart for 35 off 27 balls. Archer then tickled the inside edge to see off the dangerous David Miller but South Africa kept coming through Klaasen. After both batters had taken Rashid the distance within three balls, the equation came down to 73 required in 11 overs. Malan’s first four was off his 48th delivery but two balls later, he grazed the fingertips of Markram at midwicket.

Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan shared a monster partnership in England's win over South Africa, before Jofra Archer proved he is back to his best after 22 ...

Buttler twice turned to him with the game in the balance and Archer delivered both times. However, once he and Malan had stabilised the innings, he accelerated ruthlessly and smashed a total of 13 boundaries. After Malan and Buttler's brilliant partnership came to an end, Moeen produced a thrilling cameo as he smashed 41 off just 23 balls. Having been England's most expensive bowler in Bloemfontein, conceding 81 runs from his ten overs and picking up just the one wicket, Archer was truly outstanding in Kimberley. However, Buttler turned to Archer once again and the 27-year-old delivered for his captain as he dismissed both Klaasen and Parnell to wrap up a much-needed victory. It was an innings that showcased every facet of his game, with Buttler forced to soak up pressure early on after the loss of Roy, Duckett and Brook. Despite this, ODIs are actually the format where Malan has earned the fewest England caps, largely due to the presence of Roy, Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root in the top three. Brook then failed to build on his impressive 80 in the last match as he was caught behind for five. England added 217 runs off the last 20 overs to post a total of 346-7, their second highest in South Africa. But England's seamers were able to find their rhythm after a poor start, with Archer undoubtedly back to his best as he picked up 6-40. Buttler and Malan smashed a further 117 runs off their next 64 balls, both reaching 106-ball hundreds in the same Sisanda Magala over. After 30 overs, England were 129-3 meaning Buttler and Malan had scored 115 runs off 206 balls since coming together in the sixth over.

Defending 347 after superb centuries from Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler, Archer took a match-changing 6-40 in his second match back after 17 months out injured.

Malan, who needed 79 balls to get to 50 and was dropped on 27 and 46, hit the first ball of the 31st over for six and 61 runs came from the next five overs. There are a lot of boxes ticked in this series. England captain Jos Buttler on Jofra Archer's performance: "It was fantastic and probably deserving of the player of the match award. When the game was in the balance to come back there and take the wicket of Klaasen broke the game open for us. The return of Archer overshadowed a superb partnership of 232 between Malan and Buttler, who combined to take England to the most unlikeliest of totals from a position of 14-3. After taking the final wicket, Archer's emotions looked to be a mixture of relief and delight as he led his side from the field.

The fast bowler is well and truly back from a long-term injury after a stunning feat for England's ODI cricket side. More here.