England's first ODI of the home summer started in disastrous fashion as they got bowled out for 131 by South Africa in the first ODI at Headingley on Tuesday (September 2). Put into bat, Harry Brook's side lasted just 24.3 overs, with Keshav Maharaj (4-22) and Wiaan Mulder (3-33) being the most successful of the South African bowlers. For England, Jamie Smith produced a 48-ball 54 but everything around him was absolute shambles. On a dry pitch that had some help for the seamers, England's batters were inefficient at dealing with South Africa's attack that was probing even in the absence of pace ace Kagiso Rabada.
However, the first hour didn't suggest that England would crash so soon, as Smith had gotten the hosts off to a steady start, even as fellow opener Ben Duckett departed early. A needless run out saw the end of Brook and that was the starting point of England's implosion. Before his dismissal, England were 82/2 in 13.5 overs and after his dismissal, the next seven wickets well in just 63 deliveries with 49 more runs added to the total. Quite a few records were created in the process, mostly unwanted ones by England.
Lowest ODI totals by England batting first against South Africa (completed innings)
131 all out - Headingley 2025
153 all out - Lord's 2017
154 all out - Bridgetown 2007
171 all out - Chennai 2011
179 all out - Karachi 2025
That's some catch 👏
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 2, 2025
Root falls to Rickelton's grab 🤲
🏴 #ENGvSA 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/phUds32FZo
England's shortest all-out innings in ODIs
22.0 overs vs SA - Wankhede, 2023 WC
23.3 overs vs NZ - Cardiff, 2013
24.0 overs vs NZ - Birmingham, 2008
24.2 overs vs PAK - Melbourne, 1985
24.3 overs vs SA - Leeds, 2025
Best figures by South African spinners against England in ODIs
4/22 - Keshav Maharaj at Headingley, 2025
4/38 - Imran Tahir at Chennai, 2011
3/22 - Robin Peterson at Chennai, 2011
3/25 - Keshav Maharaj at Lord's, 2017
3/26 - Paul Adams at East London, 1996
