CENTURION, South Africa: Paul Collingwood, making a record 171st one-day appearance for England, hit a century, took two wickets and held a superb catch as England gained a comfortable seven-wicket win over South Africa in the second one-international at SuperSport Park on Sunday.
Collingwood shared a record 162-run third wicket stand with South African-born Jonathan Trott (87) as England chased down South Africa’s total of 250 for nine with 24 balls to spare. Collingwood finished with 105 not out off 110 balls.
Trott, whose only previous one-day international was a low-key match against Ireland in August, when he was out without scoring, opened the batting and paced his innings skillfully as he and Collingwood enabled England to get on top after they had been struggling at 45 for two after 11.3 overs.
Despite half-centuries from Hashim Amla (57) and Alviro Petersen (64), South Africa were unable to score enough runs on a slow pitch against steady bowling which was backed by good fielding.
South Africa’s total was only nine runs higher than they made in a Twenty20 international against the same opponents on the same ground seven days earlier.
After heavy rain in the area, which caused Friday’s first one-day international in Johannesburg to be abandoned without a ball bowled, the pitch was slower than usual, making scoring difficult.
Collingwood’s slow medium pace proved ideal in the middle stages of the innings as he took two for 24 in six overs.
He also took an acrobatic diving catch at backward point to dismiss AB de Villiers as South Africa struggled in the early stages of the innings.
Amla, playing in place of Jacques Kallis, who has been ruled out of the rest of the series because of a cracked rib, put on 73 for the third wicket with JP Duminy in the only significant partnership of the innings.
England dropped four catches but none proved too expensive, while Collingwood and Eoin Morgan, who took a leaping catch on the midwicket boundary to dismiss Albie Morkel, held outstanding efforts.
Part-time seamer Trott proved a bonus for captain Andrew Strauss, bowling in tandem with Collingwood and conceding only 21 runs in seven overs.
Strauss failed for the first time on tour and Kevin Pietersen made only four before Trott and Collingwood took control.
Trott made his 87 off 119 balls with eight fours, while Collingwood faced 110 deliveries, hitting seven fours and two sixes.
It was Collingwood’s fifth one-day international century.
England were without opening batsman Alastair Cook, who will remain in Pretoria for treatment and rehabilitation of a bulging disc in his back when his teammates move on to Cape Town on Monday.
