England’s  batters lasted more than 100 balls, but not much more. They were dismissed in 147 balls for their fourth-lowest total against South Africa in a display of batting that could best be described as fatigued, perhaps from a month of playing in the Hundred.

By the time South Africa’s batters had faced 100 balls, the job was as good as done. Aiden Markram scored the fastest fifty by a South African opener, off 23 balls, and dominated an opening stand of 121 with Ryan Rickelton to take South Africa home and open the series with an emphatic win. They batted for 125 balls.

The whole match lasted just 272 balls, perhaps as a nod to the difference in preparation for these two sides for this series to where there are on the road to 2027. While South Africa played a series Australia, England only had an optional training session as they rolled in straight from the Hundred. That may also mean England are just beginning their planning for the next World Cup, while South Africa see themselves as on the path as they seek to adopt a more fearless style of play. England often use that kind of language but their loose drives and soft chips were more reckless than brave against a well-drilled South African attack.

Keshav Maharaj recently elevated to No. 1 on the ICC’s ODI bowling rankings, was the most successful bowler and picked up the third four-for of his career. Wiaan Mulder scooped 3 for 33 to mark only the second time he has taken three wickets in an ODI. South Africa also took all their catching chances, seven in total, after a ragged showing in Australia, and made good on Temba Bavuma’s decision to bowl first.

England started off in signature style as Jamie Smith closed out the first over with back-to-back drives off full Nandre Burger deliveries and Ben Duckett pushed one past Lungi Ngidi that went for four. But Burger also found swing and in his second over, Duckett was tempted to play at a good-length ball without moving his feet and nicked off to continue a tough run. Duckett only had one score over 20 in eight innings in the Hundred but concerns about his form seemed immaterial when Joe Root drove Burger for four with a high elbow off the second ball he faced and held the pose for good measure.

Runs kept coming in boundaries as Root took two off Ngidi and Smith took advantage of width from Burger. However, Bavuma stuck with his frontline seamers and it paid off. Root prodded at an Ngidi ball and edged behind, Ryan Rickelton diving to his right to hold the ball in his glove but it popped out as he hit the ground. He was able to get both gloves to the rebound and claimed the catch, which was confirmed on replay.

Harry Brook responded by tonking Ngidi’s first ball for four and Smith just kept swinging. Corbin Bosch was brought on in the ninth over but was guided past third and then through midwicket as Smith entered the 30s. England finished the Powerplay on 57 for 2, with 44 of those runs in boundaries.

The Smith-Brook partnership grew to 38 and the pair were on top of South Africa’s seamers when a moment of misjudgement separated them. Brook hit Mulder into the covers and called for two but the second run wasn’t on, Tristan Stubbs swooped in and threw to Rickelton, who broke the stumps and England were 82 for 3. Still, with Smith batting well, they would not have had many concerns. Smith brought up his second ODI fifty, and second successive one, when he sent Maharaj through the covers for four off the 46th ball he faced.

At the end of that over, Jos Buttler hit the ball to the boundary, where Tony de Zorzi dived to stop four and hurt his hamstring in the process. He left the field for treatment, did not field again and was not required to bat.

An incident like that could easily have shifted momentum England’s way but the opposite happened. In the next over, Smith flicked Mulder to fine leg, Bosch made good ground to his left and took an excellent one-handed catch and the collapse had begun. England lost seven wickets for 29 runs in 43 balls and almost all of them were avoidable.

Jacob Bethell was lured into a drive by a floated up Maharaj delivery, got a thin edge and the ball was parried off Rickelton’s gloves to Markram at slip. He took the catch while almost blindsided by his own keeper. Will Jacks popped a simple return chance back to Maharaj; Buttler was leaden-footed when he drove and inside-edged Mulder to Rickelton and Jofra Archer nicked the next ball low to first slip, where Markram picked up another. Mulder was on a hat-trick but Maharaj cleaned up. He had Adil Rashid trapped in front of leg stump and removed debutant Sonny Baker’s middle stump to dismiss England inside 25 overs.

Baker would be the first to attempt to defend their score. Given the opening over on debut, his second ball slid down leg and Markram helped it on its way for four. Baker then overcompensated and offered width as Markram cashed in on the off side. The first over went for 14 runs.

Rickelton, who has struggled for rhythm from the Australia tour, could not find any early on in England either. He could not get Archer’s first four balls away and then edged the fifth one in the direction of first slip. Root claimed the catch as he seemed to think he got his fingers under the ball and while some replays agreed, others seemed to show the ball bouncing just in front. Rickelton was given not out. Archer finished the over by hitting him on the pads but England didn’t review. If they had, Hawk-Eye showed the ball would have been hitting leg stump and Rickelton would have been out for a duck.

Instead, he watched as Markram continued to show Baker no mercy and took 20 off his second over, including two sixes. Rickelton’s opportunity finally came against Baker in his third over and he just about found his touch. He drove Baker for four, edged him short of slip and then flicked off the pads. Despite his first three overs costing 44 runs, Baker got a fourth over and still could not get it right. He overpitched, Markram drove for four, then down the ground and then over the covers to bring up his half-century off 23 balls, with 44 runs scored in boundaries.

Baker’s four overs cost 56 runs and he was taken out of the attack before bring brought back in the 12th over and delivering a boundary-free six balls. His relief was short-lived. Baker’s next two overs cost 18 runs and his final analysis of 7-0-76-0 was the most expensive by an England player on debut.

Markram had three figures in his sights but with 11 runs left to win was strongly caught by Smith at cover, who intercepted a ball that was destined for the boundary. Bavuma tried to finish it quickly but was caught at mid-off and Tristan Stubbs’ nightmare run continued as he was bowled for a duck to leave Rashid on a hat-trick. Across all formats, Stubbs has only scored one half-century in 35 innings this year. Dewald Brevis finished it off with a six as England lost for the third successive time to South Africa.

Brief scores:
South Africa 137 for 3 in 20.5 overs  (Aiden Markram 86, Ryan Rickelton 31*; Adil Rashid 3-36)  beat England 131 in 24.3 overs (Jamie Smith 54;  Keshav Maharaj 4-22, Wiaan Mulder 3-33) by seven wickets

[Cricinfo]