England suffered another big defeat in the ODI World Cup as South Africa mauled the defending champions by 229 runs at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on October 21, Saturday. Apparently this was the biggest loss in the history of England's cricket. With this win England have tumbled to no.9 in the points table while Proteas grabbed third place in the standings.
Put to bat first, Heinrich Klaasen's lightning 67-ball century, Reeza Hendricks 85 off 75 and Marco Jansen's fiery 75 off 42 ensured South Africa post a colossal total of 399/7. In reply, the star studded England's batters looked clueless in front of South African bowlers as they were bowled out for a paltry 170, thanks to Gerald Coetze's three-fer.
This stands as the 14th largest defeat margin in ODI World Cup history and represents England's heaviest loss. England's previous biggest defeat in the showpiece event came against India during the 1975 World Cup, where they lost by 202 runs at Lord's.
England's batting fiasco
After dazzling with the bat, Marco Jansen spearheaded South Africa's bowling attack against England. Jansen claimed two prized wickets of Dawid Malan (6 off 11) and Joe Root (2 off 6) and with Lungi Ngidi taking another in the form of Jonny Bairstow (10 off 12), England found themselves at a shaky 24/3, chasing a towering target of 400 runs.
The situation worsened for England when Kagiso Rabada dismissed the dangerous Ben Stokes for mere 5 runs off 8 balls. Gerald Coetzee further tightened the noose, sending both Jos Buttler (15 off 7) and Harry Brook (17 off 25) back to the pavilion in quick succession. Coetzee continued his streak by taking Adil Rashid's wicket after he scored 10 off 14 deliveries. Ngidi added to England's woes, dismissing David Willey for 12, as England struggled past the 100-run mark.
Then came Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood, who entertained the crowd with some big hitting and notched a partnership of 70. But Keshav Maharaj rattled Atkinson's stumps after his quickfire 35 off 21 to sum up England's innings as Reece Topley couldn't come to bat due to injury and Wood was left stranded with an unbeaten 43 off 17.
South Africa wreaked havoc on England's bowlers
Earlier, Heinrich Klaasen's outstanding innings of 109 off 67 balls, alongside contributions from Marco Jansen and Reeza Hendricks, propelled South Africa to a historic 399/7 against England in the World Cup, marking their highest total in the tournament's history.
Klaasen's classic act
Klaasen's display of brilliance was highlighted by his third ton of the year, amassing 109 runs off a mere 67 deliveries. Alongside him, Marco Jansen delivered a fiery knock, scoring an unbeaten 75 off just 42 balls, packed with three boundaries and six maximums. The duo added a record 151 runs for the sixth wicket in just 77 balls, a feat that now stands as a South African record against England in both ODIs and World Cups.
Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen earlier laid a solid foundation with their innings of 85 and 60, respectively. However, a mid-innings stumble saw South Africa's momentum wane before Klaasen and Jansen's partnership revived their innings, preventing the team from settling for an average total.
Throughout his innings, Klaasen's endurance was tested by the humidity, necessitating frequent hydration breaks. Yet, even with evident fatigue, he persisted, unlike some English bowlers who found the conditions too grueling. Klaasen's century was capped off in the 47th over, where he hit Mark Wood for a six and a four.
South Africa's commanding total became all the more commendable considering the early setback with Quinton de Kock's dismissal and Temba Bavuma's absence due to illness. England, though, began with promise as Reece Topley's delivery induced a mistake from de Kock. However, Topley later had to exit the field due to a finger injury.
Rassie van der Dussen and Hendricks then stabilized the innings. While van der Dussen took his time to settle, Hendricks exhibited some exquisite shots, particularly against Joe Root, who had to bowl extended spells due to Topley's absence.
Adil Rashid's crucial interventions in the form of two wickets kept England's hopes alive. He managed to dismiss both set batsmen, van der Dussen and Hendricks, curbing their momentum. Yet, Klaasen's heroics ensured South Africa's dominance, setting the stage for a memorable World Cup contest.
England will next face Sri Lanka on October 26 while South Africa will take on Bangladesh on October 24.
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