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England crush South Africa in final
England crushed South Africa by seven wickets with almost 30 overs to spare to win their one-day triangular series final on Saturday.
England crushed South Africa by seven wickets in the triangular series one-day international final at Lord's here on Saturday.
Anthony McGrath was 15 not out and man-of-the-series Andrew Flintoff six not out as England, chasing a meagre 108 to win, won with nearly 30 overs to spare.
Opener Vikram Solanki made a 58-ball fifty before he played on to Andrew Hall.
The match was over as a contest after South Africa, who lost the toss, were bowled out for 107 - their lowest ever one-day international total against England.
Jacques Rudolph (19) top scored in an innings where only Shaun Pollock (last man out for 18) and debutant Morne van Wyk (17) made it past 11.
South Africa's total was also the lowest in a one-day international at Lord's and their innings, which included just 12 boundaries, ended with more than 17 overs remaining.
Fast bowler Darren Gough took two wickets for nine runs in seven overs and left-arm spinner Ashley Giles, wicketless for six one-day internationals, claimed two for three in three.
Fast bowler James Anderson, the only member of the attack who completed his full quota of overs, had an expensive-looking analysis of 10-0-50-3 but did take wickets at important stages.
Makhaya Ntini gave South Africa a glimmer of hope when he had in-form opener Marcus Trescothick caught for nought by first slip Hall to leave England one for one in the second over.
But Solanki, after a hesitant start, played some magnificent strokes, his fifty coming up in 52 balls including one six and eight fours.
England captain Michael Vaughan made a brisk 30 in a second-wicket stand of 87 before he chipped paceman Andre Nel to Ntini at mid-on.
Earlier South Africa captain Graeme Smith, dropped on nought, fell first, out for seven edging a full-length Anderson delivery to Trescothick at first slip.
Herschelle Gibbs, who had made five single figure scores in six previous series matches, went for nine, edging Gough through to Chris Read for the first of the wicket-keeper's five catches.
Van Wyk pulled Anderson for four but next ball the 24-year-old Free State right-hander was bowled by the Lancashire quick's full-length off-cutter which came back sharply.
Worse followed for South Africa when Jacques Kallis, who came into this match with a tournament average of 164.50 with two hundreds, one against England, went for nought when he edged Gough through to a diving Read.
Rudolph, in the best stand of the innings, added 32 in 55 balls with Mark Boucher, before he was caught behind off Flintoff, having faced 40 balls including two fours.
South Africa's innings was summed up when Martin van Jaarsveld (11) got a leading edge to Giles' fifth legitimate ball and was caught and bowled, the spinner having conceded 225 runs between one-day international wickets.
Former captain Pollock faced 22-balls before he was caught behind off Flintoff to end the innings with Ntini not out nought.
