Strauss: Best batting performance ever
Shah's batting set the tone
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Sunday, 27, Sep 2009 11:40
By Ash Gorsi.
Skipper Andrew Strauss said England's batting performance was the best he had seen after they knocked South Africa out of the Champions Trophy.
England racked up 323 for 8, largely thanks to Owais Shah's destructive batting who top scored with 98, and was well supported by Paul Collingwood (89). A dazzling display of power hitting by Eoin Morgan (67) set up the 22 run victory in Centurion.
Strauss said: "Owais played a gem of a knock, it was incredible the number of sixes he hit. Paul came in and you saw the way he played the spinners and then Eoin came in at the end and did his thing.
"I think it's the best I've ever seen England bat, the way the guys went about playing their shots."
The game was set in the balance for most of the time, Strauss conceded: "It looked a little tight there for a while, but our ground-fielding was excellent.
"We dropped a couple of catches which could have been crucial but they had to strive hard to keep up with the rate and luckily our bowling was up to it."
England are assured of a place in the semi-finals with one group game remaining against New Zealand on Tuesday.