Harshit - Friday, Sep 05, 2025South Africa stunned England at Lord’s with a nail-biting five-run victory, securing their first ODI series win on English soil in 27 years.
South Africa posted 330 for 8, powered by a brilliant 85 from Matthew Breetzke, who returned from injury to anchor the innings. His knock marked yet another milestone — the 26-year-old has now scored a fifty in each of his first five ODI appearances, a world-first achievement. Supported by Tristan Stubbs (58) and a late cameo from Dewald Brevis, the Proteas set a daunting total under the floodlights at Lord’s.
England fought hard in pursuit of 331, with Joe Root, Jos Buttler, and Jacob Bethell all making half-centuries. However, none of the trio pushed on past 61, leaving the lower order with too much to do. The game came down to the final ball, when Jofra Archer needed a six to tie the match. Instead, he managed only a single off Senuran Muthusamy, leaving England stranded on 325 for 9 and South Africa celebrating a series-clinching five-run victory.
South Africa had wobbled at 93 for 3, but Breetzke and Stubbs rebuilt with a commanding 147-run stand for the fourth wicket. Their partnership shifted momentum firmly towards the visitors. Brevis then lifted the scoring rate with aggressive hitting, helping South Africa fall just four runs short of the all-time ODI record total at Lord’s.
England, meanwhile, were once again exposed by their lack of bowling depth. Part-time options Bethell and Will Jacks leaked 112 runs in 10 overs, with Root surprisingly unused. The pressure told as South Africa’s batters feasted on loose deliveries, particularly targeting the spinners. With this result, England slumped to their eighth defeat in 11 ODIs this year, raising fresh questions about their white-ball setup.
Despite the loss, England’s innings was not without drama. Buttler, playing with emotion following his father’s recent passing, celebrated his fifty with a glance skyward. But his dismissal to Lungi Ngidi’s slower ball effectively ended England’s hopes. Archer’s late fireworks briefly reignited the chase, but South Africa’s bowlers held firm in the final overs.
For South Africa, this was more than just a win. It was their first bilateral ODI series victory in England since 1998, when Breetzke himself had not even been born. Under captain Temba Bavuma, the Proteas displayed both grit and tactical precision, outclassing England in key phases. With the series already secured at 2–0, they now head to Southampton aiming for a rare whitewash on English soil.
Also read: England vs South Africa 2nd ODI Match Preview in Hindi
