South Africa lead the three-match ODI series 2-0.
Imagine being dropped on 44, and going on to score a dazzling century. That has been quite the story of English star Jacob Bethell. The youngster walked in at No.4, and he never put a foot wrong. Apart from the drop, which was granted to him by Nandre Burger, Bethell timed his shots to perfection. He brought up his century in 76 deliveries, which is a testament to his skill and valour. He was finally dismissed for a score of 110 off just 82 balls when he tried to attack Keshav Maharaj in the 41st over of the game.
Being 2-0 down in the three-match series, the English needed something like this to charge themselves up. South African skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bowl first in Southampton. And that did not turn out in their favour. The England batters dominated from ball one, and got to the 300-run mark in just the 41st over. And from there, there was no looking back.
The 182-run partnership between Bethell and Joe Root started off normally. But they soon took off once they were well set. And there was no doubt about the aggressor. The partnership between the Bethell and Root provided a firm platform for England to launch from. Jos Buttler scored a gritty, unbeaten 62 to propel the score past the 400-run mark.
Bethell became the 2nd youngest England player to hit an ODI century after David Gower. The 21-year-old walked in to bat in the 17th over, after the dismissal of Jamie Smith. He started off his innings in a smart way. Bethell kept taking singles off good deliveries and also kept putting the bad ones away. He brought up his 20 in 17 deliveries, and that is when he decided to up the ante. Bethell crossed the 50-run mark in 52 deliveries.
Once he knew he was seeing the ball well enough, he let himself loose and started going after the bowling in a measured way. The English youngster shifted gears wonderfully to take the attack to the South Africans. Moreover, Root was batting at the other end, and was anchoring the innings well. This is why Bethell took his risks and was successful with them. He got his hundred in just 76 deliveries.
None of the Protea bowlers could get going, apart from Keshav Maharaj, who managed to scalp two wickets. Nandre Burger and debutant Codi Yusuf were taken to the cleaners, and went for more than 60 runs in their spell. Bavuma opted to field first because of the gloomy conditions, but the pitch did not assist his bowlers as much as he would have liked. As a result, the South Africans found themselves chasing 415 runs in Southampton.
Two centuries, but so different from each other! After the heroics from Jacob Bethell, Joe Root went on to register his 19th ODI century. However, the way Root paced his innings was nothing close to how Bethell did. England registered 414/5 in their quota of 50 overs. This was their highest total in the 50-over format against South Africa.
Root walked in to bat in the ninth over, after the dismissal of Ben Duckett. He started his innings in the traditional manner, and displayed prolific shot-selection skills right through his century knock. But just as Bethell began putting his leg on the accelerator, Root took the backseat and anchored the innings. Just after Bethell was dismissed, Root took over the aggressor’s role and got his century off 95 deliveries.
| Score | Opposition | Venue & Year |
| 498/4 | Netherlands | Amstelveen, 2022 |
| 481/6 | Australia | Nottingham, 2018 |
| 444/3 | Pakistan | Nottingham, 2016 |
| 418/6 | West Indies | St Georges, 2019 |
| 414/5 | South Africa | Southampton, 2025 |
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South Africa were never going to chase by starting off slowly. The English knew that the Proteas would come out throwing their bats at anything and everything. But instead, they threw their wickets away. And they did it in clusters. The second innings were nothing close to what the South Africans would have wanted them to be. But they were everything that Harry Brook & Co. would have hoped for.
England’s pace express, Jofra Archer rattled the South Africans with his pace and bounce. All the English bowlers came to the party except Jamie Overton, who was not able to scalp a single wicket. But the chief of them all? Of course Jofra Archer. The 30-year-old pacer wreaked havoc in Southampton to claim four wickets in his nine overs. To add to that, he bowled three maidens and conceded just 18 runs to cap off an incredible spell.
Archer started the party which was then joined by all others. Brydon Carse scalped two wickets in his six overs too. Then came Adil Rashid. The leg-spinner did what he does best. He spun a web around the remainder of the Proteas, registering a three-wicket haul in the 23 deliveries he bowled, for a mere 13 runs. To say the least about South Africa’s batting, only two batters could breach the 10-run mark.
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