Matthew Breetzke's world record helps Proteas set England 331-run target at Lord's

PROTEAS middle-order batter Matthew Breetzke smashed a world record in the second ODI against England at Lord’s on Thursday.

Breetzke, returning to the Proteas side after missing the last two matches due to a hamstring strain, struck 85 off 77 balls (7x4, 3x6) to help the visitors up to 330/8. 

It was the attacking right-hander’s fifth consecutive score in excess of 50, becoming the first batter in ODI history to achieve this feat in their first five matches. The Netherlands’ Tom Cooper and India’s Navjot Singh Sidhu had previously done it in their first four matches. 

It was a typical Breetzke innings, punctuated with flamboyant drives and his trademark flamingo-like aerial shots, and it was almost fate that he should pass Herschelle Gibbs’ 74 - the previous highest score a by South African in an ODI at Lord’s - for the 26-year-old plays the game with a similar swagger and flair. 

Breetzke once again combined excellently with Tristan Stubbs. The pair play their domestic franchise cricket together at the Warriors and know each other’s games intimately. 

They backed up their series-winning partnership in Australia a couple of matches ago with another superb 147-run stand off only 126 balls that put England under pressure. 

Breetzke was the initial aggressor before Stubbs (58, 62 balls, 2x4, 1x6) started to find his rhythm when he struck Will Jacks for six and two boundaries off consecutive balls to rapidly move to his third ODI half-century. 

The Proteas’ progression was halted though when Breetzke was trapped LBW by an Archer slower ball yorker before Stubbs was involved in a horrible mix-up with Dewald Brevis. 

But the latter made up for his miscalculation with another brutal assault to get South Africa’s innings back on track. Brevis (42 off 20 balls, 3x4, 3x6) belted his first delivery for a boundary and simply kept his foot on the pedal with another entertaining cameo before his former U19 rival Jacob Bethell had him caught at point.

It was left to Corbin Bosch to maintain the momentum with the allrounder once again showing his value as South Africa moved comfortably past 300.

Earlier in the afternoon, after a few drops of London autumn drizzle delayed the start by 15 minutes, England skipper Harry Brook had earlier no hesitation in asking South Africa to bat first with the grey clouds hovering above.

Unfortunately, his new-ball bowlers did not quite respond to the challenge, which allowed Ryan Rickelton (35) and Aiden Markram (49) to lay the foundation for South Africa’s eventual total.

Unlike at Leeds in the previous game when Markram was the aggressor, the roles were now reversed with the fluidity returning to Rickelton’s game. The left-hander punched a couple of boundaries straight down the ground, and also squeezed Saqib Mahmood square of the wicket. 

The partnership grew to 73, when almost against the run of play, Rickelton top-edged Jofra Archer (4/62) to offer wicket-keeper Jos Buttler a chance behind the wicket. 

Captain Temba Bavuma came and went in quick fashion after being bamboozled by veteran leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who also had Markram caught-and-bowled one run short of his milestone. 

Second ODI, Lord’s

South Africa: 330/8 (Breetzke 85, Stubbs 52, Markram 49, Brevis 42, Bosch 32*, Archer 4/62 Rashid 2/33)