Centurion Jos Buttler leads England to rain-hit triumph against South Africa

Bloemfontein A century by Jos Buttler set up victory for England by 39 runs on the DuckworthLewis method in the first oneday international against South Africa at the Mangaung Oval on WednesdayEnglands batsman Jos Buttler celebrates hitting a century during the 1st OneDay Internationals cricket match between South Africa and England at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein PicAFPButtlers 105 was the main contribution as England piled up 399 for nine easily their highest oneday total against South Africa and their second highest of all time Fellow wicketkeeperbatsman Quinton de Kock hit an even better century making 138 not out off 96 balls before rain ended play with South Africa on 250 for five in 333 overs But whereas Buttler was part of a powerful team batting effort De Kocks only significant support came from Faf du Plessis who made 55 Buttler hit 11 fours and five sixes in a 76ball innings which included a breathtaking variety of strokesThe reason for promoting Jos was because we have a very flexible batting lineup said England captain Eoin Morgan We were flying at around eightandahalf runs per over at one stage and it felt right to promote him up the orderHes one of our only players who has the capabilties to score a 40 or 50ball hundred The timing of it just seemed right Alex Hales Joe Root and Ben Stokes all hit halfcenturies after opening batsman Jason Roy set the tone for the innings by striking 48 off 30 balls Englands innings included five partnerships worth 50 or more while no fewer than eight batsmen struck sixes with a total of 15 hits clearing some of the biggest boundaries in South AfricaAll the South African bowlers took heavy punishment with four going for 70 runs or more while Farhaan Behardien and JP Duminy sharing fifth bowler duties conceded a total of 93 runs South Africa lost Hashim Amla early but De Kock and Du Plessis kept the hosts in touch with the required run rate in a second wicket partnership of 110 off 83 balls With storm clouds overhead and a strong wind sending clouds of dust swirling across the ground in a droughthit city it seemed that a stoppage might be imminent when Du Plessis was caught on the midwicket boundary off Moeen AliThe rain did not come and offspinner Ali struck again when South African captain AB de Villiers was brilliantly caught by a running leaping Stokes at wide longon for eight Despite De Kock reaching his ninth oneday international century off 67 balls South Africa were unable to keep pace with a DuckworthLewis target which grew larger with every wicket that fell before rain eventually arrived De Kock hit 12 fours and six sixes Early in his careerbest innings he became at 23 the youngest South African to reach 2000 runs in oneday internationalsAli took three for 43 easily the best figures of a match when most bowlers took a pounding Englands batting assault started in the first over when Roy hit two boundaries off the first over bowled by Chris Morris Fellow new ball bowler Marchant de Lange was punished for 31 in three overs as Roy and Hales raced to 62 off the first seven overs The introduction of Morne Morkel into the attack brought the wicket of Roy caught at cover after he had made 48 off 30 balls in an opening stand of 68Hales took over as the aggressor as he and Root put on 62 for the second wicket with Hales making 57 off 47 balls before he sliced De Lange to wide midoff With England scoring at better than seven runs an over Buttler was promoted up the order and he was quickly into his stride pounding a halfcentury off 34 balls with six fours and three sixes He reached his century off 73 deliveries which remarkably was the slowest of his four oneday international hundreds