Road Safety World Series 2022: England Legends aim for win as they face old foes South Africa Legends

Kanpur, Sep 15: England Legends will take on South Africa Legends in match number seven of the Road Safety World Series 2022 here at Green Park Stadium on Thursday (September 15). It will be the last game of the first leg of the tournament before the bandwagon moves to Indore's Holkar Stadium for the second phase.

The Jonty Rhodes-led South African side is coming into the game following an emphatic 9-wicket-win over debutants New Zealand. While England - who are being led by Ian Bell - suffered a humiliating 7-wicket defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka Legends after getting bundled out for 78 in their opening match - will be aiming to taste the first win of the tournament.

England's top and middle-order crumbled like a castle of cards on the sluggish Green Park track as only four batters could breach the 10-run mark, with captain Bell's 15 off 24 balls being the highest individual score in the innings.

The opening partnership of 25 runs between Bell and Phil Mustard (14) was the biggest stand of the English innings. Against old rivals South Africa, the England Lions would be aiming to make amends in the batting department and put up an improved show. Their bowlers, however, did well against a star-studded Sri Lankan batting attack with left-arm spinner Stephen Parry proving his mettle, keeping the Lankan batters under check.

South Africans must be upbeat with the one-sided win over New Zealand Legends are returned to winning ways and recovered from the big 61-run defeat against India Legends in the season opener.

Spinners Johan Botha and Thandi Tshabalala who combined to scalp seven wickets against Kiwi Legends would be looking to carry their form against English batters.

The Protea batting also revived themselves from the horror show against India as opener Andrew Puttick notched up a fluent unbeaten half-century against Kiwis in the big win. Alviro Petersen also remained not out for 29 to prove that the performance against India was a mere fluke.

In the previous edition, South Africa Legends hammered England Legends by 8 wickets. To date, England and South Africa have faced each other in 25 matches in T20Is and out of these, England have won 12 whereas South Africa have come out victorious on 12 occasions. 1 match ended without a result.