South Africa needed 48 runs with seven wickets remaining. England had already suffered enough punishment in this World Cup to recognize another defeat approaching. Then three wickets fell without the scoreboard moving.
Chennai’s slow surface turned a modest chase into a test of judgment and nerve. England won by six runs on March 6, 2011, rescuing their campaign through patient batting, disciplined bowling and an ability to keep attacking.
Match 25 in A Celebration of 5000 ODIs celebrates a contest that made every remaining run feel enormous.
TL;DR
- England’s 171 proved enough as South Africa fell for 165.
- Player of the Match Ravi Bopara scored 60; Jonathan Trott added 52.
- Stuart Broad took 4/15, supported by James Anderson’s 2/16.
- South Africa slipped from 124/3 to 127/7.
- England recovered from their defeat against Ireland with a crucial Group B victory.
Match Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | England vs South Africa, 21st match, Group B |
| Tournament | ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 |
| Date | March 6, 2011 |
| Venue | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| Toss | England chose to bat |
| England | 171 all out, 45.4 overs |
| South Africa | 165 all out, 47.4 overs |
| Result | England won by six runs |
| Player of the Match | Ravi Bopara, 60 from 98 balls |
| Leading bowlers | Broad 4/15; Imran Tahir 4/38 |
| Tournament impact | England’s second victory; South Africa’s first defeat |
Complete Match Scorecard
England Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Strauss (c) | c de Villiers b Peterson | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Kevin Pietersen | c Kallis b Peterson | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonathan Trott | c & b Tahir | 52 | 94 | 3 | 0 |
| Ian Bell | c & b Peterson | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Ravi Bopara | lbw b Morkel | 60 | 98 | 3 | 1 |
| Matt Prior (wk) | c van Wyk b Morkel | 10 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| Michael Yardy | c Peterson b Tahir | 3 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Tim Bresnan | lbw b Steyn | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Graeme Swann | c Duminy b Tahir | 16 | 20 | 3 | 0 |
| Stuart Broad | lbw b Tahir | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| James Anderson | Not out | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Extras | b 1, lb 7, w 12 | 20 | |||
| Total | All out, 45.4 overs | 171 |
Fall of wickets: 1/1, 3/2, 15/3, 114/4, 134/5, 148/6, 149/7, 161/8, 161/9, 171/10.
South Africa Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robin Peterson | 8 | 2 | 22 | 3 |
| Dale Steyn | 9 | 0 | 37 | 1 |
| Morne Morkel | 7 | 0 | 16 | 2 |
| Jacques Kallis | 4 | 1 | 14 | 0 |
| Imran Tahir | 8.4 | 1 | 38 | 4 |
| Faf du Plessis | 5 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| JP Duminy | 4 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
South Africa Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hashim Amla | b Broad | 42 | 51 | 2 | 0 |
| Graeme Smith (c) | c Prior b Swann | 22 | 41 | 2 | 0 |
| Jacques Kallis | c Prior b Broad | 15 | 20 | 3 | 0 |
| AB de Villiers | b Anderson | 25 | 44 | 0 | 0 |
| Faf du Plessis | Run out (Bell/Prior) | 17 | 38 | 2 | 0 |
| JP Duminy | b Anderson | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Morne van Wyk (wk) | b Bresnan | 13 | 37 | 0 | 0 |
| Robin Peterson | c Prior b Yardy | 3 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Dale Steyn | lbw b Broad | 20 | 31 | 3 | 0 |
| Morne Morkel | c Prior b Broad | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Imran Tahir | Not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Extras | lb 2, w 4 | 6 | |||
| Total | All out, 47.4 overs | 165 |
Fall of wickets: 63/1, 75/2, 82/3, 124/4, 124/5, 124/6, 127/7, 160/8, 164/9, 165/10.
England Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Yardy | 9 | 1 | 46 | 1 |
| James Anderson | 6 | 0 | 16 | 2 |
| Tim Bresnan | 8 | 1 | 27 | 1 |
| Graeme Swann | 10 | 2 | 29 | 1 |
| Stuart Broad | 6.4 | 0 | 15 | 4 |
| Kevin Pietersen | 8 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
Robin Peterson and Imran Tahir Expose England
Opening with Peterson’s left-arm spin brought immediate rewards. Strauss and Pietersen disappeared in the first over; Bell followed at 15/3.
Tahir’s four wickets maintained South Africa’s control, while Morkel conceded only 16. Their attack understood the surface. However, 20 extras supplied England with valuable breathing room.
Ravi Bopara and Jonathan Trott Make Survival Count
Bopara and Trott resisted the temptation to repair everything quickly. Their 99-run partnership preserved England’s chance on a pitch where fluent scoring demanded risk.
Bopara’s 60 earned the award, although he credited Broad afterward. His assessment explained England’s belief: “We fell short, but we knew it would turn and reverse.” ICC match reaction
For Bopara, this offered a happier World Cup memory than his final-ball dismissal against Sri Lanka in 2007.
Graeme Swann Builds Pressure, James Anderson Breaks Through
South Africa’s opening stand of 63 threatened to settle everything. Swann removed Smith and conceded just 29 across ten overs, keeping England within reach.
At 124/3, the chase still favored South Africa. Anderson bowled de Villiers, du Plessis ran himself out, and Anderson dismissed Duminy. Yardy then removed Peterson.
Four wickets for three runs exposed a middle order unable to absorb pressure without surrendering wickets.
Stuart Broad Finishes a Match That Refused to End
Steyn and van Wyk added 33, taking South Africa to 160/7. Twelve more runs would have completed their recovery.
Bresnan bowled van Wyk. Broad trapped Steyn and had Morkel caught behind, completing his 4/15.
England finally closed the door they had left open against Bichel and Bevan’s Australian rescue in 2003.
Why This Match Belongs in the Collection
South Africa had survived Malinga’s four wickets in four balls in 2007. Chennai produced another extraordinary collapse, with no final escape.
England moved toward their Bangladesh fixture with renewed belief, though their batting remained vulnerable. This entry in our 5000 ODIs collection and wider cricket coverage captures the format’s enduring appeal: a small total can demand an enormous performance to defend.