South Africa v England predictions and cricket betting tips

Where to watch

Sky Sports Cricket & Main Event, 11am Wednesday

Best bets

Harry Brook top England runscorer
1pt 9-2 general

Sam Curran over 37.5 performance points
3pts 5-6 bet365

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South Africa v England preview

South Africa have already sealed an ODI series victory over world champions England but neither team is likely to ease up in Wednesday's third game in Kimberley.

England, whose World Cup defence starts in India in October, will be desperate to avoid starting the year with a 3-0 series defeat and Jos Buttler's men are 8-11 to rediscover their sparkle at the Diamond Oval.

However, the rejuvenated Proteas, who lost their last home ODI series to Bangladesh, know a victory would seal their place at the World Cup, ensuring that they bypass June's qualifying tournament.

England have lost their first two ODIs in 2023 but they could easily have been 2-0 up after a couple of entertaining contests in Bloemfontein. They traded at 1.06 on Betfair to win the first ODI but crumbled from 146 for no wicket to 271 all out in pursuit of a target of 299.

And they recovered from a slow start in Sunday's second game to post an imposing total of 342-7 before a Temba Bavuma century and David Miller's unbeaten 58 off 37 deliveries saw South Africa home with five wickets and five balls to spare.

England youngster Harry Brook was dismissed for a duck on his ODI debut in the series opener but responded in style, scoring 80 off 75 balls with seven fours and four sixes.

Any doubts that Brook might struggle to live up to the considerable hype surrounding him on the international stage were dispelled by December's Test series in Pakistan in which he scored 153, 87, nine, 108 and 111 and he is a tempting price to top-score for England from number four in Kimberley.

He probably feels as though he left a few runs out there in the second ODI, having been caught in the deep off part-time spinner Aiden Markram, and the way he dominated a partnership with Buttler, one of England's greatest white-ball batsmen, suggests he should nail down a place in the 50-over side.

Ben Stokes's retirement from ODI duty means there is a vacancy for an inspirational all-rounder in the England side and Sam Curran can enhance his credentials in the series finale.

Curran took 3-35 in the first ODI, whacked three sixes in a 17-ball 28 in the second game, and can clear a performance line of 37.5 (one point per run, ten per catch and 20 per wicket), having banked 87 and 48 points in the first two matches. 

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