English
South Africa cricket team created history on Thursday night at Lord’s in London. Temba Bavuma’s side ended a 27-year wait to win an ODI series in England, clinching an unassailable 2-0 lead with one game remaining. SA defeated England by 5 runs to win the second ODI after their comprehensive win in the first game.
South Africa’s second successive win was set up by record-breaking Matthew Breetzke and his 147-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs. Breetzke created a new world record in ODI cricket with his fifth successive fifty in his first five ODI innings. The Lucknow Super Giants and South African batter broke Navjot Singh Sidhu’s 38-year-old record as the Indian had notched up four fifties in his first four innings in ODI cricket.
Proteas Clinch Series After Nail-Biting Finish 🔥
Jofra Archer threw everything at it but South Africa kept their cool 🏏#ENGvSA pic.twitter.com/PC72l5kCWq
— FanCode (@FanCode) September 5, 2025
Breetzke came into the side at the expense of all-rounder Wiaan Mulder in the second ODI and smashed 85 off 77 balls with 3 sixes and 7 fours. While Stubbs notched up 58 off 62 balls with 1 six and two fours.
Earlier, opener Aiden Markram had notched up 49 off 64 balls with one six and six fours. After the dismissal of Stubbs, young Chennai Super Kings batter Dewald Brevis clobbered 42 off 20 balls with three sixes and three fours and along with Corbin Bosch’s 32 off 29 balls helped South Africa pile up 330 for 8 in 50 overs after being sent into bat.
“It was more than competitive score, definitely taken that when we were three-down. Breetzke and Stubbs, built this confidence. With the ball, Keshav showed his class and our fielding was much better. Bosch gives ability to bowl in and outside powerplay. He gave us a lot of control, particularly in the middle part of the innings,” SA skipper Temba Bavuma said at the post match-presentation.
“We don’t have a lot of options with lots of injuries, but we’ll enjoy the victory and go to Southampton to put together the best team possible,” he added.
England, blown away for 131 in the opening match at Headingley, showed far greater resistance in the chase. Despite losing debutant Jamie Smith in the first over, partnerships kept them in contention. Jacob Bethell’s lively 58 off 40 balls included four consecutive boundaries, while his 77-run stand with Joe Root (61 off 72) stabilized the innings. Jos Buttler then added fireworks with a 61 off 51 before falling to Lungi Ngidi’s clever slower ball.
The game tightened in the death overs. Will Jacks briefly revived English hopes with two sixes, but Nandre Burger (3 for 63) struck twice in the 47th to dent the chase. With 16 needed off the final over, Jofra Archer’s spirited cameo of 27 from 14 balls — featuring two fours and two sixes — wasn’t enough, as England closed on 325 for 9.
“They probably got 10-15 too many, but to get within one blow at the end was a good effort. Bethell, we wanted to unsettle their spinners, and keep the left-hand-right-hand combination. We were v unlucky in the powerplay, didn’t go our way, but stuck in there nicely. We need minute improvements, early wickets would help,” England captain Harry Brook said.
The win continued South Africa’s strong run at Lord’s, just 2 and a half months after their World Test Championship triumph there over Australia. The series finale will be played in Southampton on Sunday.
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