In which Trott got compared to Viv

South Africa playing in a semi-final game meant it was time to trot out the C-word with gay abandon. It began even before the toss, once it was announced that the injured Dale Steyn wouldn't play.

Steyn has choked a bit early though...

— M.M (@TonkeePonkee) June 19, 2013

Rory Kleinveldt plays instead of Steyn for South Africa. Like picking a second hand Robin Reliant to replace your Rolls Royce. #ct13

— 51allout (@51allout) June 19, 2013

The baby-faced Joe Root's boyishness continued to amaze the twitterati.

A little strange when Joe Root walks on to the field for the anthems and the schoolboy he's holding hands with appears older! #ct13

— Philip Brown (@dudleyplatypus) June 19, 2013

England bowled first, and quickly dismantled South Africa's top order. James Anderson prised out Colin Ingram in the opening over itself.

James Anderson has conclusively out-bowled Dale Steyn today. Debate settled, I reckon.

— Mark Patterson (@Mark_Eurosport) June 19, 2013

Steven Finn, who came in as a replacement for Tim Bresnan, got Hashim Amla to edge behind in the second over.

Two overs, two wickets. Eng on fire. Ball less an orb of leather, cork & twine than batsman-obliterating hand-grenade. Cushty. #ct13

— legsidefilth (@legsidefilth) June 19, 2013

Eish! To paraphase Blackadder, this ball is swinging like a privy door when the plague's in town... #ct13 #pureprotea #savseng

— Ingrid Rose ★ (@Ingrid_Rose_SA) June 19, 2013

Robin Peterson and Faf du Plessis held on grimly for a while, but South Africa were on the verge of a major middle-order collapse. It included AB de Villiers collecting his first ODI duck since 2007.

Broad has vomited up a truly awful ball and AB has responded with an equally disgusting shot. Cricket the winner. #ct13

— 51allout (@51allout) June 19, 2013

I'm finding it hard to breathe at the moment.. I got some bad kinda cough going on......

— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) June 19, 2013

JP Duminy played a truly awful 13-ball innings. It included two close lbw shouts, one which he survived on review, and another that he survived since England chose not to review.

JP Duminy had better buy a lottery ticket on the way home.

— billy (@billy_carter1) June 19, 2013

Don't waste a review against Duminy when the off spinner's bowling. He'll get out sooner or later anyway. #engvsa #ct13

— Cliffo (@Cliffo1981) June 19, 2013

Soon after, he was bowled by James Tredwell.

Even Drs cant save duminy from playing onto his stumps. The proteas tonsils are swelling as we speak. Heimlich manouvre anyone. 63/5.

— udo carelse (@udocarelse) June 19, 2013

At 80 for 8, the stage was set for a quick finish to the day's proceedings.

'chokers' is now trending in #Johannesburg https://t.co/WyftiKOh3l

— Trendsmap Jo'burg (@TrendsJoBurg) June 19, 2013

Surely not too early to write South Africa off?

Look, I remember laughing at South Africa when they were bowled out for under 100 once. That was at Newlands. In 2011. #CT13 #ENGvSA

— Mindy Pawsey (@MKPS001) June 19, 2013

David Miller and Rory Kleinveldt showed some defiance.

Davie Miller and RoryK on verge of extraordinary, record ninth wicket stand of 120..only 106 more runs to go!

— Neil Manthorp (@NeilManthorp) June 19, 2013

Rory Kleinveldt on 6* has more on the scoreboard than Amla, Ingram, De Villiers and Duminy combined... #Proteas #ct13

— Morne Esben (@Morne13) June 19, 2013

Just saw the score, 107/8 by the team kitted out in green. Didn't realize Pakistan were playing the semifinal today.

— Saad Shafqat (@_saadshafqat) June 19, 2013

The last two wickets didn't come easy though. Miller and Kleinveldt gradually adapted to the conditions and pushed the score along. They were helped by Alastair Cook's decision to bowl his part-timers.

South African tail hitting Root harder than Davey Warner did.

— Peter Lalor (@plalor) June 19, 2013

I'm pretty sure this isn't what England meant when they said "Ravi Bopara doesn't do anything with the ball." #ENGvSA

— Alternative Cricket (@AltCricket) June 19, 2013

Think England are trying to starve Rory out. He's been in about 45 minutes without a meal, poor bloke must be famished. #ct13

— 51allout (@51allout) June 19, 2013

My father loves David Miller more than he loves me. And I'm okay with that. #ct13

— Nerrerer (@NerissaNaidoo) June 19, 2013

Miller and Kleinveldt broke a few records in their 95-run stand, before Stuart Broad picked up the last two wickets. Target 176. As always, one man took the blame.

@TheCricketerMag Jonathan Trott wanted a proper bat so told them to ease off until they had enough #trottsfault

— Gary Cunningham (@Bucko77gc) June 19, 2013

Defending a poor score, you'd have expected South Africa to come out blazing on all cylinders with their fast men. You'd have been surprised.

As strategies go, bowling Peterson and Duminy with the new ball is almost as bizarre as it gets.

— Test Match Dan (@TestMatchDan) June 19, 2013

AB de Villiers obviously doesn't rate his seam attack without Steyn and Morkel, if he opens up with Duminy and Peterson. #ENGvSA

— Joe Friel (@JoeFrielUK) June 19, 2013

Chris Morris quickly reclaimed new-ball duties, and got South Africa a couple of early inroads. The English openers didn't quite look themselves. Literally.

I wish Cook hadn't got out, I wanted to see more of his running it reminds me of Toy Story so much. Unlucky Woody! #EngvSA #ct13

— Jack Gerrard (@jackegerrard) June 19, 2013

Does IAN BELL look like a squirrel or #ct13

— Mehnoor Rathore ~ (@Kundraa) June 19, 2013

The C-word never goes out of circulation if South Africa are playing.

Don't be surprised if the batting side chokes. They're South Africans too! #ct13 #ENGvSA

— Ravi Mama (@RappedOnthePads) June 19, 2013

With no run-rate pressure whatsoever, Jonathan Trott and Joe Root settled down to pick off the runs in at leisure.

England will win this match because they'll simply bore SA to death

— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) June 19, 2013

Chasing at 3.5 po, flat wicket, no swing, Trott must fall to sleep dreaming of this scenario #ct13 #eng #80notout

— Alexander O'Leary (@oleary_alex) June 19, 2013

To be fair to Trott, his strike-rate was close to 90 right through his innings. Perhaps it was time to reassess popular perceptions around his batting?

Bumble. "Trott reminds me of Viv Richards" Someone give him a plot, he's lost his!

— Graemefowler (@GFoxyFowler) June 19, 2013

Maybe not.

Root exited with his 50 in sight, but Trott ensured that England strolled into the final without any fuss.

Who had 'South Africa to lose in a knock-out game via a batting collapse' in our #CT13 predictions? Everyone? Very well, then. #CT13

— Alternative Cricket (@AltCricket) June 19, 2013

The scoreboard claims England destroyed South Africa by 7 wickets with 75 balls remaining, but that's deceiving. It was hardly that close.

— Burton DeWitt (@bsd987) June 19, 2013

Can't even say this is choke #engvsa #ct13

— Cassidy Kristiansen (@CassKris_) June 19, 2013

But isn't that the silver lining?