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2 September 2025, 17:15 BST
First Metro Bank one-day international, Headingley
England 131 (24.3 overs): Smith 54 (48); Maharaj 4-22
South Africa 137-3 (20.5 overs): Markram 86 (55); Rashid 3-26
South Africa won by seven wickets
England were bundled out for just 131 and thrashed by seven wickets in the first one-day international at Headingley as South Africa handed out a bruising reality check to the hosts’ new era of white-ball cricket under captain Harry Brook.
In an abject performance, England reached 82-2 only to be dismissed in 24.3 overs in their first white-ball matches since Brook began his tenure by sweeping aside West Indies at the start of the summer.
The collapse started when the captain was run out for 12 and opener Jamie Smith, the only batter to make more than 15, followed for a 48-ball 54.
Jacob Bethell’s tough summer continued, Will Jacks, one of five players who were playing in the Hundred final less than 48 hours ago, chipped back a catch and Jos Buttler struggled for 15 from 24 balls.
The last seven wickets fell for 29 runs in 7.1 overs as spinner Keshav Maharaj took 4-22 on a pitch that did not turn and seamer Wiaan Mulder 3-33.
Fast bowler Sonny Baker was then hit for 76 runs, including 14 boundaries, in a brutal, seven-over introduction to international cricket – the most expensive figures by an England bowler on ODI debut.
In the second over, Jofra Archer nicked off Ryan Rickelton only for the ball to be judged to have bounced before first slip and still would have had the left-hander lbw had England reviewed an lbw shout. Their failure to do so summed up their day.
Aiden Markram flogged 86 in 55 balls with England failing to make a breakthrough until he was spectacularly caught by Smith with the winning line only 11 runs away.
The crowd cheered ironically when Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs followed with the scores level but Rickelton ended 31 not out and the Proteas won with a massive 29.1 overs to spare.
The three-match series continues at Lord’s on Thursday.
Baker flogged as Brook’s England thrashed
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England have been battling a downward spiral with their white-ball teams since their failed 2023 World Cup defence in India.
Brook’s winning start – wins in three ODIs and three T20s against the Windies – was supposed to be the start of an upturn.
This performance was as bad as anything that has come in the previous two years.
Because of The Hundred, the players preparation has been non-existent.
Rather than falling in a flurry of expansive strokes, they lacked any sort of batting rhythm and a meek procession against canny yet unspectacular bowling followed.
The batting left Baker, who was last man out for a golden duck, on a hiding to nothing. Three boundaries came in his first over and his opening four-over spell cost 56 as he was thrashed to all parts by Markram, who made his lively pace look gentle with effortless, classical hitting.
While Baker ran in admirably when he returned for a further three overs, he still conceded a further 20 and took his wide tally of wides to four.
When Dewald Brevis ended the match with a towering straight six off Adil Rashid, who took all three of England’s wickets, just 45.2 overs had been played in the match and the crowd drifted off more than three hours before the scheduled finish.
Rusty England batters exposed
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England’s batting struggles in 50-over cricket are not new.
Where previously they have struggled to find the tempo, most alarming here was the inability to halt their slide.
Ben Duckett nicked off in the third over, after which Joe Root flickered before being caught one-handed by wicketkeeper Rickelton low to his right.
Smith capitalised when South Africa bowled too full or offered width but was involved in the Brook run-out when he sent back his captain who was looking for two.
A chipped six over long-on was Buttler’s only boundary in a 24-ball 15 – the most obviously rusty innings.
South Africa’s fielding, meanwhile, was superb.
Markram took a sharp chance at slip off the wily Maharaj as Bethell departed for one to follow scores of six and five in the fifth Test against India in a summer in which he has barely played.
The Proteas looked far more at grips with the format, having beaten Australia 2-1 in a series that concluded only nine days ago.
‘It’s a bad day and we must move on’ – what they said
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England captain Harry Brook: “Not ideal and not a great start to the series but it’s just one of those bad days and we have to move on as quickly as possible.
“Everybody will hold their hands up and say they’ve had a bad day, apart from Jamie Smith – he batted really nicely. But it’s just one those days, we couldn’t get a partnership together.
“The ball held in the pitch a bit more than usual but I don’t want to go into too much detail, it’s a bad day and we’ve got to move on.”
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma: “We were clinical with the ball. Even though they managed to put us under a bit of pressure in the powerplay, we still managed to take wickets. Then in the middle, the guys came in, Kesh [Maharaj] showing his class.
“With the ball, I don’t think you can fault much. With the bat, we could have been more clinical at the end but I don’t think it takes anything away from how we went about the chase, led by Aiden Markram at the top really taking the attack to them.”
Ex-England captain Michael Vaughan, speaking to Test Match Special: “Brendon McCullum is a quality manager and he will manage this situation well. He will give some strong words and some things that the players do not want to hear but we are not in the era where teacups are thrown.
“There is too much talent in this side. This is England’s best top seven.”
