South Africa v England: Test series betting preview, free tips, where to watch

Free cricket tips, best bets and analysis for South Africa v England in the four-Test series.

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Cricket, from 8am Thursday

South Africa v England best series bets

Drawn series
1pt 7-2 Betway
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Q de Kock top South Africa series runscorer
2pts 11-2 Betway, Sky Bet
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O Pope top England series runscorer
1pt 10-1 bet365, Betway
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South Africa v England series preview

South Africa and England haven't enjoyed a smooth build-up to their four-Test series but it promises to be a compelling contest between two sides who can flit between triumph and disaster.

England's Ashes win at Headingley summed up the state of their Test side. Bowled out for 67 in the first innings, they needed an extraordinary century from Ben Stokes to avoid going 2-0 down to Australia.

They were still flattered by a 2-2 draw with the Aussies, which was followed by a forgettable 1-0 series defeat on dead pitches in New Zealand.

Record-breaking bowler James Anderson returns fresh for this series and England's attack looks strong, at least once Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer recover from the sickness bug that has hit the camp.

The batting improved in the second Test in New Zealand, where Joe Root's chanceless 226, ably supported by Rory Burns (101) and Ollie Pope (75) steered this gung-ho England side to a rare bore draw.

Facing Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander in home conditions is never easy but England's top order appears more secure with Burns settling into international cricket and Joe Denly contributing more frequently from number three.

Stokes averages 47 after eight Tests in South Africa – higher than in any other country, thanks largely to a memorable 258 in Cape Town in 2016.

However decent the England batting looks on paper, though, the potential for calamity remains and a drawn series could be the best bet.

South African cricket has been weakened by financial problems off the field and their Test team has lost superstars AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn in recent years.

They suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Sri Lanka in February before a predictable 3-0 walloping in India while paceman Duanne Olivier, the architect of January's series win over Pakistan, immediately left to join Yorkshire as a Kolpak player.

Much depends on the experienced core of Philander, Rabada, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock but with home advantage the Proteas can share the spoils with inconsistent England.

De Kock was their top series runscorer against Pakistan and Sri Lanka and the wicketkeeper made a superb 111 in the first innings of the India series.

The new ball tends to do plenty of damage in South Africa so middle-order men often represent the best top-runscorer value and De Kock, who made his maiden Test century against England in the 2016 series, continues to mature in this form of the game.

A punt can also be taken on England youngster Pope, who reined in his attacking instincts in his excellent innings against the Kiwis in Hamilton.

The Surrey right-hander piled up 561 runs in just five 2019 County Championship matches, made a fluent 132 in the warm-up game against South Africa A, and has the class to nail down a spot at number six in the Test side.

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