Add to it the context of the stage of the tournament and Saturday’s clash between England and South Africa is perhaps the most important match of the tournament which trudges along towards the halfway mark.
Both the teams have had a forgettable last outing, having been on the losing side in two upsets. While defending champion England meekly surrendered to Afghanistan’s spin pack in New Delhi last weekend, the Proteas crumbled against the Netherlands earlier this week.
While dark horse South Africa can still take heart from having defeated Australia before suffering its first loss of the tournament in a sensational upset, England will be under more pressure to get it campaign on track. Having been annihilated by New Zealand in the tournament-opener and humiliated by Afghanistan in its last encounter, Saturday’s clash could well be a battle for survival for England. It couldn’t have asked for a better occasion than Ben Stokes’ maiden appearance of the World Cup.
