Clinical South Africa hand England biggest ODI defeat in World Cup contest

Mumbai: Rampant South Africa left England's World Cup title defence in absolute shambles here on Saturday, handing the reigning champions their biggest loss in history of ODI cricket by 229 runs in one of the most dominant all-round performances in recent times.

Having amassed the second highest total of 399/7 in this year’s edition — the first also belongs to the Proteas — South African pace battery ran through England's famed batting line-up with tremendous ease terminating their innings at 170 in 22 overs.

In World Cup history, South Africa’s win over England is now the joint-sixth highest by margin of runs.

For a side which lifted the last two white-ball ICC tournaments, England have hit the nadir in this edition as their woes deepened further across departments. They are now placed ninth in 10-team table.

A wrong call at the toss was followed by a poor bowling show, but what left a huge embarrassment to deal with for England was a stunning collapse on a batting-friendly surface here, which saw Jos Buttler's team rolling over for 170 for nine in 22 overs.

If it was not for a ninth-wicket 70-run stand between Mark Wood (43 not out) and Gus Atkinson (35), England's loss will feature among one of the worst in history of ODI cricket.

For what it is worth, Reece Topley unavailable to bat.

The return of their 'spiritual leader' Ben Stokes — who did not bowl and managed a mere 5 — also had no impact whatsoever as he played his first game in this World Cup since returning back from retirement.

Alongside the catastrophic defeat, Buttler’s call to bowl first in most humid conditions, would also rankle for times to come since England’s recent record of chasing — only three wins in 11 matches since January 2022 — did not back them up enough.

Jonny Bairstow (10) was bounced out by Lungi Ngidi (2/26), Joe Root (2) meekly played one to leg slip off Marco Jansen (2/35), who also had Dawid Malan (6) caught behind.

Kagiso Rabada (1/35) took a sharp return catch to end Stokes’ stay.

The young Gerald Coetzee (3/35) then got into the act to account for Harry Brook (17), Buttler (15) and Adil Rashid (10) to pile further misery on England.

England’s disintegration began when Heinrich Klaasen produced a hundred of the highest quality in extremely humid conditions to fire South Africa to their highest total in a World Cup contest against them.

Klaasen resurrected South Africa with his third century of the year and overall fourth, hammering 109 off just 67 balls while Jansen smashed a terrific 75 not out (42 balls, 3x4s, 6x6s).

South Africa stumbled in the middle overs after Reeza Hendricks (85 off 75 balls, 9x4s, 3x6s) and Rassie van der Dussen (60 off 61 balls, 8x4s) ensured a strong platform, leaving Klaasen with the challenge to do the heavy-lifting in the final 15 overs, even though he was well supported by Jansen.

For Hendricks, who scored a century on debut five years ago, the wait to make another century only extended.

Klaasen and Jansen together pulled South Africa from the danger of being restricted to an at-par total.

While Klaasen had four sixes and 12 fours to show for his stupendous effort, Jansen also used long handle to a good effect, getting half a dozen maximums apart from three fours.

Klaasen regularly needed fluid intake during his innings but even while cramping up a bit didn't leave the pitch unlike a few English bowlers, who found the heat unbearable.

And even if he would have wanted to celebrate such a monumental knock more than he did — a gesture towards the sky — Klaasen did not have much left in his tank when he smacked Mark Wood (7-0-76-0) for a six and a four to complete his ton in the 47th over.

Klaasen and Jansen added 151 runs for the sixth wicket off just 77 balls, which is now a record for South Africa against England in ODIs as well as in World Cup history.

The wheels came off for England as a total of 143 runs were scored off the final 10 overs whereas the last five produced as many as 84.