Proteas crash to world-record 342-run defeat

Third ODI, Southampton

England: 414/5 (Bethell 110, Root 100, Buttler 62*, Smith 62, Bosch 2/79, Maharaj 2/61)

South Africa: 72 all out (Bosch 20, Archer 4/18, Rashid 3/13, Carse 2/33)

England won by 342 runs, SA win the series 2-1

The Proteas have become the masters of falling prey to the dead-rubber ODI syndrome. 

Sunday’s world record ODI defeat by 342 runs, in which they were 18/5 at one stage, before being routed for 72 by England at Southampton’s Rose Bowl follows on directly from their last dead-rubber in Australia just over a fortnight ago.

Having won the first two matches of the series Down Under to clinch the trophy, they slumped to a 278-run defeat in Cairns. They have now eclipsed that performance with an even more pitiful one here a mere 48 hours after clinching, in some style too, only their second ever ODI series victory in England. 

But as clinical and efficient they were at Leeds and London, it was matched by their woefulness on England’s south coast. 

All three facets of their game were left in the Lord’s dressingroom. The bowling was ill-disciplined, conceding 19 wides, pushing the extras total to 27. And after not dropping a single chance throughout the previous two matches, the visitors’ catching went walkabout as they floored two simple chances, none more embarrassing than Matthew Breetzke’s blunder.

These let-offs provided England with the momentum to get their house in order with Jamie Smith (62, 48 balls, 9x4, 1x6) kickstarting the demolition before contrasting twin hundreds from Jacob Bethell (110, 82 balls, 13x4, 3x6) and Joe Root (100, 96 balls, 6x6) before Jos Buttler’s (62*, 32 balls, 8x4, 1x6) pyrotechnics exhibition set up a mammoth 414/5.

Bethell will no doubt take plenty of confidence from this innings as his career progresses - not only from the reaching the milestone but also the time spent in the middle with England maestro Root.

The veteran adopted a mentoring role throughout the partnership, content to sit back and allow the former England U19 star to take the game forward. 

The Proteas’ batting efforts were equally feeble. Maybe they were unfortunate to run into a rampant Jofra Archer, with the 2019 World Cup final hero intent on reminding everyone why he remains so vitally important to England’s chances. 

The capitulation was not pretty – but it illustrates what can happen to developing sides who are greater than the sum of their parts. 

Archer’s mowed down the Proteas’ top-order and had figures of 5-3-5-4 at one stage. From thereon it was only pride at stake, and that was barely salvaged with ironically an Archer wide edging the Proteas’ past their lowest-ever ODI total of 69 cobbled together against Australia in Sydney 32 years ago.

To compound the Proteas’ problems, the on-going fitness issues that seems to trouble captain Temba Bavuma is fast becoming an issue of real concern building up to the 2027 World Cup. 

Bavuma missed the middle match of the series in Australia and again hobbled off during England’s batting onslaught with left calf strain. 

The skipper did not come out to bat and coach Shukri Conrad’s concern will be growing around whether his captain's fragile body will be able to play back-to-back matches in a highly pressurised competition such as the World Cup.