South Africa would be a bit surprised with how England have played. With so much experience in the line-up, England's batting failed to live up to the expectations. Only Jamie Smith looked well settled with his fifty and at that point, there was not much fuss for the foreseeable future. The top five managed to get a start, but all perished by playing a reckless shot. The hopes lay on Jos Buttler to anchor one end but he too fell and after that, it was just a procession of wickets and 57/2 after the first 10 overs ended up being 131 all out.
Well, we have seen the other side of the England team, a side that was prevalent in that 2023 ODI World Cup. They have been bowled out well under 150 runs with more than half of the full quota of overs remaining. The home crowd has been taken by surprise. England's abysmal performance has resulted in a well below-par score in the first ODI.
Keshav Maharaj to Sonny Baker, OUT! BOWLED! Dismantled on debut! Sonny Baker wasn't hoping to make his debut with the bat, at least not so soon, and he fails to make an impact. Keshav Maharaj floats it up on a yard behind full and this one goes with the arm. Baker leans on to defend that, but produces a big gap between bat and pads. The ball sneaks through the gap to disturb the furniture behind, and Keshav Maharaj finishes off with the figures of 5.3-0-22-4. Well, from 82/2, England have been bowled out for 131!
Sonny Baker on debut is the last batter in for England.
Keshav Maharaj to Adil Rashid, OUT! LBW! Keshav Maharaj has his third wicket! Rashid reviews but it looks like a desperate decision. Keshav Maharaj nicely floats it up a bit fuller and this one slides on with the arm from around off stump. Rashid lunges to defend but gets beaten on the inside edge and gets hit on the pads. A loud appeal from Keshav and up goes the finger. The third umpire is called in. UltraEdge shows nothing. Ball Tracking shows THREE REDS. Even 150 looks out of reach for England at the moment.
Keshav Maharaj to Adil Rashid, Tad short and attacks the stumps, Rashid turns it away towards short mid-wicket for a dot.
Wiaan Mulder to Adil Rashid, Drops it short and outside off, Rashid pulls but it goes off the top edge to mid-wicket for a single.
Wiaan Mulder to Adil Rashid, On top of off, slightly fuller, and Rashid taps it out beside the stripe on off.
Wiaan Mulder to Adil Rashid, Pulls his length back and bowls it around off, Rashid gets behind the line and defends.
Wiaan Mulder to Adil Rashid, Bowls a bumper this time and keeps the line around the leg stump. Adil Rashid comfortably ducks under it.
Wiaan Mulder to Adil Rashid, Edged but lands safely! Wiaan Mulder bowls it on a nagging length and outside off, gets it to nip away. Rashid swings his blade and edges it wide of deep third for a couple.
Wiaan Mulder to Brydon Carse, This is on a good length over off, Carse crouches a bit and strokes it towards deep point for a single.
Keshav Maharaj to Brydon Carse, A single to end the over as Brydon Carse drills it to long on.
Keshav Maharaj to Adil Rashid, Lands it full, on the pads, Rashid turns it away to the wide of short fine for a quick single.
Keshav Maharaj to Adil Rashid, Keshav Maharaj drifts one in on a length and around off, Rashid punches it to cover.
Keshav Maharaj to Adil Rashid, FOUR! A rare bad delivery from Maharaj, and it gets the treatment! Bowls it very short and around middle and leg, Adil Rashid rocks back and swats it away over mid-wicket for four runs.
Keshav Maharaj to Adil Rashid, Floats it full and on middle, Rashid leans and defends it.
Keshav Maharaj to Adil Rashid, Fires it full and straight at the stumps, Rashid pushes it back to the bowler.
Wiaan Mulder to Brydon Carse, A terrific over from Wiaan Mulder comes to an end. Pushes it full and straight around off. Brydon Carse defends it on the off side.
Wiaan Mulder to Brydon Carse, Wide! Bowls it short and well wide of off. Brydon Carse leaves.
Wiaan Mulder to Adil Rashid, A touch short and outside off, Adil Rashid manages to lay some bat on it as the ball travels towards deep third for a run.
Wiaan Mulder to Adil Rashid, No Hat-trick for Wiaan Mulder! Lands it on a good length and around the fourth stump line. Rashid defends with strong hands to point.
Adil Rashid walks in to face the hat-trick delivery.
Wiaan Mulder to Jofra Archer, OUT! CAUGHT! TWO IN TWO for Wiaan Mulder and Aiden Markram takes another terrific catch at first slip. Mulder steams in from over the wicket and bowls it on a good length in the channel and gets it to nibble away as well. Jofra Archer stays deep inside the crease and pokes at it tentatively, without moving his feet and gets squared up. The ball flies off the outside edge and goes low towards first slip. Aiden Markram, stationed at first slip, shows brilliant reflexes to get low to his left and pouches it safely with both hands.
Jofra Archer is the new batter in.
Wiaan Mulder to Jos Buttler, OUT! GONE! Another one bites the dust and it's the big wicket of Buttler! England are into their tail-enders now. It's rare to see Buttler get out like this. Wiaan Mulder serves it on the fuller side and outside off, nips in late. Buttler plants his front foot across to push but gets a faint inside edge to the keeper, Ryan Rickelton, who takes yet another catch. South Africa are firing on all cylinders.
Wiaan Mulder to Jos Buttler, Mulder bowls into the pitch, over off and keeps the pace off from the delivery. Butler opens up a bit and gets beaten on the outside edge.
Keshav Maharaj to Brydon Carse, Brilliant over by Keshav Maharaj! Keeps it full with little pace to offer, Brydon Carse blocks.
Keshav Maharaj to Brydon Carse, Spears it fuller and at the stumps, Brydon Carse defends it off the front foot.
Keshav Maharaj to Jos Buttler, Too full and quicker on middle, Jos Buttler drives it to long off for a single.
Keshav Maharaj to Brydon Carse, Drops it full and around off, Brydon Carse eases it down to long off for a single.
Keshav Maharaj to Brydon Carse, Looped up full and on middle, Brydon Carse eases it back to the bowler.
Brydon Carse is in at number 8 for England.
Keshav Maharaj to Will Jacks, OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Keshav Maharaj scalps his second wicket. Floated delivery, full and around the pads, Will Jacks tries to turn that away on the leg side, but gets a leading edge back towards the bowler's right. Maharaj gets low on his right and completes a simple catch. England are in a spot of real bother now at 117/6!
Wiaan Mulder to Will Jacks, Just back of a length and around off, punched away past covers for a single.
Wiaan Mulder to Will Jacks, A bit fuller in length, shaping it away from outside off, Jacks leans on to drive but misses.
Wiaan Mulder to Will Jacks, FOUR! Top shot! Banged in well short and around off, Will Jacks picks the length in a trice and gets on top of the bounce, pulling it firmly and well in front of square for a boundary.
Wiaan Mulder to Jos Buttler, Short of a good length, around the pads, tucked away just behind square leg for another single.
Wiaan Mulder to Will Jacks, Good length on off and middle, staying a tad low. Jacks flicks it down to fine leg for a single.
Wiaan Mulder to Jos Buttler, Length ball outside off, hit away on the up and through covers for a single by Buttler.
Keshav Maharaj to Jos Buttler, On a dragged length and outside off, tapped away behind point for a single by Buttler.
Keshav Maharaj to Jos Buttler, Yorker length, fired in towards middle, Jos Buttler jams it back to the bowler.
Keshav Maharaj to Jos Buttler, Good length on off, Buttler plays this one back to the bowler.
Keshav Maharaj to Will Jacks, Looped up in and around off, Jacks eases it into the off side and gets off the mark with a single.
Keshav Maharaj to Will Jacks, Tossed up, full and on leg, nudged away into the leg side.
Will Jacks comes in next.
Keshav Maharaj to Jacob Bethell, OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Brilliant reflexes from Aiden Markram at first slip. Keshav Maharaj floats the ball up full and around off. Jacob Bethell is enticed to go for the drive but ends up nicking it behind. Ryan Rickelton looks to take a sharp catch to his left but the ball deflects off his gloves. Markram watches it like a hawk and manages to lean back and get the ball in his clutches near his chest. Bethell departs for just one and England have already lost half their side.
Wiaan Mulder to Jos Buttler, FOUR LEG BYES! Oh, that seems to have gone straight off the helmet! A slower bumper from Mulder, over middle and leg. Jos Buttler sets up to pull but is through the shot very early and the ball hits the helmet, lobbing up behind the keeper and trickling down into the fine leg fence. Hopefully, Buttler is fine and the physio is out to just complete a concussion check. Thankfully, all looks good.
Wiaan Mulder to Jos Buttler, A bit fuller and outside off, hit away firmly but straight to point again.
Wiaan Mulder to Jos Buttler, Good length, in and around off, jammed out to point by Buttler.