Paul Collingwood hit an unbeaten hundred after taking two wickets on Sunday to lead England to a seven-wicket win over South Africa in the second one-day international.
Collingwood took 2-24 from six overs to help restrict South Africa to 250-9. He then made 105 off 110 balls and put on 162 with Jonathan Trott, who hit 87, to help England win with four overs to spare at SuperSport Park.
England leads the five-match series 1-0 after Friday’s match was washed out.
In the last eight ODIs against South Africa, England has won six and the other two have been “no results” due to bad weather. But captain Andrew Strauss said his side wouldn’t get carried away with this victory.
“The key is consistency. We’ve always been good enough to beat any side on our day, but we need to be able to do it time after time,” Strauss said.
Collingwood, who became the most capped Englishman in ODIs in his 171st match, scored all round the wicket with Trott. Their 30-over stand was broken when Trott flicked a delivery from Charl Langeveldt to Hashim Amla at deep square-leg in the 42nd over.
Collingwood’s fifth ODI century was brought up by his seventh four, driven straight off fast bowler Dale Steyn. He also hit two sixes in a 110-ball innings.
Trott smashed eight boundaries in 119 balls. By the time he was out, England was 207 and Collingwood and Eion Morgan (27 not out) then took their side home with a partnership of 45 in 4.3 overs. Morgan hit four fours and a six in 18 balls.
Collingwood and Trott paced their partnership superbly, never getting behind a reasonable run-rate and not experiencing the problems the opposition seemed to have on a slowish pitch.
Charl Langeveldt was the best South African bowler with 2-46. He got rid of Trott and Strauss, caught off a leading edge at point by A.B. de Villiers for 16. The only other S. African bowler to get a wicket was seamer Albie Morkel, who bowled Kevin Pietersen for 4.
In South Africa’s innings, Alviro Petersen top-scored with 64 from 65 balls and Hashim Amla made 57 from 72 deliveries.
England’s opening bowlers James Anderson took 3-60 from 10 overs and Tim Bresnan 2-46 from 10. But it was the two starring England batsmen who dried up the Proteas’ runs in the middle of the innings.
Collingwood’s two wickets took his tally to 99 and, after leg-spinner Adil Rashid went for 27 runs in three overs, Trott’s part-time medium-pacers were called upon by Strauss and he responded by bowling seven overs for only 21 runs.
