 Jacques Rudolph looked a class act for South Africa |
Michael Vaughan looked visibly upset after his team had so categorically failed to compete with a South Africa team just coming to the boil. Vaughan's team beat South Africa in their first encounter at The Oval, but were thoroughly outplayed under the floodlights at Old Trafford.
England have now failed to win any of their three one-day matches batting first this summer, instead winning the three in which they have had to chase targets.
Vaughan said: "I thought 223 was going to be a competitive total out there but Jacques Kallis and Jacques Rudolph played extremely well out there and just didn't give us a sniff.
"The way [Anthony] McGrath and [Marcus] Trescothick got us out of trouble was real credit to ourselves but we probably didn't bowl as well as we could have."
Almost inevitably, Trescothick was England's highest scorer with 60. But there were some familiar failings.
Vaughan and Jim Troughton, both desperately short of form, recorded single-figure scores and Ashley Giles was not the threat he should have been on a pitch taking plenty of spin.
South Africa, who claimed their second win of three, sail to the top of the table, while England's match against Zimbabwe in Bristol is now a must-win affair.
Jacques Kallis, whose 82 not out at Old Trafford followed centuries in the previous two games, said: "It's nice to be in good form early on in the tour."
He paid credit to his young protege Jacques Rudolph, who also hit an unbeaten half-century.
"Jacques is a great find for South Africa. He played really well."
Kallis admitted it was "unfortunate" he had not been able to stay in to become only the fourth batsman to hit three successive one-day centuries.
South Africa skipper Graeme Smith said Kallis was "fantastic to watch," adding: "He is really looking good at the moment."
MMIX
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