Series: South Africa in England, 3 ODI Series 2025
Venue: Headingley, Leeds
Date: September 2, 2025
Toss: South Africa elected to field first
Result: South Africa beat England by 7 wickets
Player of the Match: Keshav Maharaj
England Innings – Batting Collapse
England’s innings was nothing short of a collapse, as the home side was bowled out for just 131 in 24.3 overs, despite having a full complement of experienced players. The top order struggled against disciplined bowling from South Africa, and only Jamie Smith (54 off 48 balls, 10 fours) looked settled.
England Batting Scorecard:
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamie Smith | 54 | 48 | 10 | 0 | c Corbin Bosch b Wiaan Mulder |
| Ben Duckett | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | c Ryan Rickelton b Nandre Burger |
| Joe Root | 14 | 17 | 3 | 0 | c Ryan Rickelton b Lungi Ngidi |
| Harry Brook | 12 | 18 | 2 | 0 | run out (Tristan Stubbs/Ryan Rickelton) |
| Jos Buttler | 15 | 24 | 0 | 1 | c Ryan Rickelton b Wiaan Mulder |
| Jacob Bethell | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | c Aiden Markram b Keshav Maharaj |
| Will Jacks | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0 | c & b Keshav Maharaj |
| Brydon Carse | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | not out |
| Jofra Archer | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | c Aiden Markram b Wiaan Mulder |
| Adil Rashid | 9 | 14 | 1 | 0 | lbw b Keshav Maharaj |
| Sonny Baker | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | b Keshav Maharaj |
Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Duckett, 2.2 ov), 2-44 (Root, 7.3 ov), 3-82 (Brook, 14 ov), 4-102 (Smith, 17.2 ov), 5-107 (Bethell, 18.1 ov), 6-117 (Jacks, 20.1 ov), 7-119 (Buttler, 21.2 ov), 8-119 (Archer, 21.3 ov), 9-131 (Rashid, 24.2 ov), 10-131 (Baker, 24.3 ov)
Bowling figures for South Africa:
| Bowler | O | M | R | W |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nandre Burger | 4 | 0 | 28 | 1 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 5 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| Corbin Bosch | 3 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Wiaan Mulder | 7 | 0 | 33 | 3 |
| Keshav Maharaj | 5.3 | 0 | 22 | 4 |
Highlights of the innings:
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England’s top and middle order failed to rotate strike, succumbed to pressure, and played reckless shots.
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Debutant Sonny Baker was bowled for a duck by Keshav Maharaj.
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Jamie Smith was the only batter to cross fifty, while others perished cheaply.
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South Africa bowlers executed their plans brilliantly, with Mulder and Maharaj taking the bulk of wickets.
Ball-by-Ball Highlights – England Innings
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10.1: Corbin Bosch to Brook, FOUR – clipped through mid-wicket.
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7.4: Ngidi to Brook, FOUR – slashed in front of square off back of length delivery.
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14.1–16.1: Keshav Maharaj helped Jamie Smith reach his 50, including a boundary through covers.
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17.2: Wiaan Mulder to Jamie Smith, OUT! Caught by Corbin Bosch – 102/4.
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23.3: Wiaan Mulder to Adil Rashid, OUT! Caught by Markram – 24.2 over saw England’s collapse complete.
South Africa Innings – Dominant Chase
Chasing just 132, South Africa’s innings was anchored by an explosive opening partnership. Aiden Markram struck a brilliant 86 off 55 balls, including 8 fours and 2 sixes, while Ryan Rickelton added a steady 31 runs.
South Africa Batting Scorecard:
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiden Markram | 86 | 55 | 8 | 2 | c Jamie Smith b Adil Rashid |
| Ryan Rickelton | 31 | 59 | 2 | 0 | not out |
| Temba Bavuma | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | c Will Jacks b Adil Rashid |
| Tristan Stubbs | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | b Adil Rashid |
| Dewald Brevis | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | not out |
Key moments:
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15.3: Sonny Baker to Markram, FOUR – brought up South Africa’s century in the chase.
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20.5: Adil Rashid to Dewald Brevis, SIX! – finished the match emphatically, South Africa reached 137/3.
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Partnership between Markram and Rickelton built 121 runs, sealing the victory comfortably.
Player Performances & Match Awards
Player of the Match: Keshav Maharaj
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Took 4 crucial wickets, especially dismantling England’s tail.
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Bowled with variations and precision, giving England very little room to maneuver.
Other Key Performers:
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Wiaan Mulder: 3 wickets, crucial in breaking England’s middle order.
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Aiden Markram: Explosive 86 off 55 balls, including a 23-ball fifty.
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Ryan Rickelton: Steady support, finishing unbeaten at 31.
Captains’ Thoughts
Temba Bavuma (SA):
“It is important to start the series well and carry on the momentum from the series against Australia. We were clinical with the ball despite initial pressure, and with the bat, we could have been more clinical but were happy with the way we took on England inside the Powerplay.”
Harry Brook (ENG):
“We had one bad day. South Africa outplayed us, and we weren’t up to the mark. Sonny Baker did his best on debut and I expect him to bounce back. The toss wouldn’t have mattered; the Proteas executed better in the first innings.”
Analysis
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England’s ODI Vulnerability:
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Collapsed for a sub-par total.
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Middle order failed under pressure.
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Debutants like Sonny Baker struggled.
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South Africa’s Clinical Execution:
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Bowlers controlled the game from the start.
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Maharaj and Mulder dominated England’s batting.
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Fielding and catching (Markram, Rickelton) reinforced bowling efforts.
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Batting was aggressive but calculated, with Markram leading the chase.
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Match Context:
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South Africa builds on 2025’s great year: WTC Final win, ODI series win in Australia, and now leading 1-0 in England.
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Conclusion
South Africa outclassed England comprehensively at Headingley, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. England will need major adjustments in their batting strategy to challenge the Proteas in the next match at Lord’s on September 4, 2025.
The combination of brilliant spin bowling, clinical fielding, and aggressive batting has set the tone for South Africa, while England is left to regroup and reassess before the next ODI.
