Riding on a glorious half-century from star batter Hashim Amla, South Africa defeated England by seven wickets to record its first win of the International Masters League 2025 at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Monday.
Both South Africa and England headed into the contest in a bid to open their account in the tournament after losing their opening matches respectively.
Amla anchored South Africa’s pursuit of 158 with a carefully curated half-century and received great support from Petersen, who scored 49, that helped the side overcome a shaky start.
Reduced to 38 for two after the early dismissals of Henry Davids for a duck and skipper Jaques Kallis (8), Amla and Petersen joined forces to pile misery on the English bowlers.
The right-hander pair matched stroke by stroke with each other to help resurrect the South African innings, with Amla reaching his fifty off 37 balls while Petersen consumed 39 deliveries, that almost put the team over the line before Farhaan Behardien completed the formalities with a first-ball boundary.
Amla remained unbeaten on a gritty 57-ball 90, laced with 12 hits to the fence and once over it.
Earlier, South Africa reaped rich dividend from its decision to field as its new ball pair of Vernon Philander and Garnett Kruger removed the English openers – Phil Mustard and Ian Bell – for ducks.
Tottering at nine for two, Tim Ambrose led England’s recovery with a calculative half-century and was complemented well by skipper Eoin Morgan as the duo joined forces to steady the ship with a 73-run third wicket partnership.
Morgan, who perished after scoring a 34-ball 36, including four fours and a six, took the attack to the opposition even as his partner, Ambrose was happy to play the second fiddle.
After Morgan’s departure, Ambrose held one end, and in the process, completed his fifty off 41 balls, even as he felt the pressure of shifting gears. Darren Maddy gave him company for the next 30 balls, producing mere 21 runs, as South African bowlers — Makhaya Ntini and Thandi Tshabalala — started tightening the noose around the English batters.
Lack of boundaries eventually led to dismissals of both Maddy (10) and Ambrose (53), who ended up miscuing in their attempts of upping the ante.
Tim Bresnan (11) ended England’s boundary drought after 38 deliveries, with a four off the first official delivery he faced, before his partner Chris Schofield (20 not out) broke the shackles with back-to-back sixes off Ntini. In the final over, Chris Tremlett (19 not out) smoked three consecutive sixes to give England the much-needed impetus as it ended on 157 for six.
