England vs. South Africa Betting Tips: Joe Root tipped in Saturday's Cricket World Cup match
England come into their fourth game of the World Cup needing to bounce back from a shock loss to Afghanistan on Sunday.
They face a tough test, however, with South Africa standing in their way. The Proteas were on the wrong end of a massive upset in their last match, being defeated by Netherlands in one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history.
Here at BettingOdds.com, we preview the clash between England and South Africa as Andy Francis picks out his two best bets for the match…
England vs South Africa Tips
Another disappointing performance from England saw them lose their second game in three, this time an embarrassing defeat to Afghanistan. Qualification is now hanging by a thread, and Matthewl Mott’s side can’t afford any more slip ups if they want to play in the semi-finals.
England’s big name players need to step up and they don’t come much bigger than Joe Root. The batsman excelled against New Zealand (77 runs) and Bangladesh (82 runs) but his 11 runs against Afghanistan were indicative of the team’s performance.
South Africa’s bowlers haven’t performed too badly, so far, and England will need to be at their best to avoid an early exit from the crease.
Root, currently priced at 4/1 to be the top England batsman with BoyleSports, could be pivotal to England’s success and anything less than a big total from the 32-year-old could see England’s World cup hopes over.
Rashid was one of the only bright sparks during England’s loss to Afghanistan, taking three wickets and losing only 4.20 runs per over.
He’s now the joint top wicket taker for England during the tournament and, with the majority of his teammates underperforming with the ball in hand, he could be vital in dispatching South Africa.
Being able to back Rashid to pick up the Man of the Match award at 16/1 is a great price for a bowler that’s shown himself to be in good form and, if England’s batsman spread the runs, it could be a member of the bowling side of the team who triumphs.
This is a massive match for both teams, following demoralising losses, and both will be desperate to return to winning ways and keep their qualification hopes alive.
Subscribe now for the latest previews, exclusive tips supported by stats, and top offers sent directly to your inbox.