England faced a heavy defeat in the first ODI against South Africa at Headingley, losing by 7 wickets on September 2nd. England’s batting performance was disappointing, with the team being bowled out for 131 runs in under 25 overs. Only Jamie Smith managed a notable score of 54. The South African bowlers, Keshav Maharaj and Wiaan Mulder, put in a strong performance, restricting England’s scoring. Aiden Markram’s explosive batting, with a score of 86 off 55 balls, guided South Africa to a comfortable victory. South Africa completed the chase in just over 20 overs, reaching 137/3. South Africa currently leads the three-match series 1-0. England must address their batting issues to stand a chance in the next matches.
