Proteas put England to the sword at Headingley

The Proteas have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against England after a dominant seven-wicket victory in the first match at Headingley.

Captain, Temba Bavuma, won the toss and sent the hosts in to bat first, a decision that paid off for the Proteas.

The South African bowlers were sublime with Keshav Maharaj taking four wickets while Wiaan Mulder took three of his own, as England were bowled out for just 131 runs.

In response, the Proteas chased down the target with confidence and aggression. Aiden Markram led the charge with a blistering 86 off just 55 balls, while Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma, and Dewald Brevis contributed the remaining runs to secure the win.

Speaking after the match, Maharaj, who was named Player of the match, described the victory as a special moment for the team.

” I don’t think you see many cricket games go this way. But I think it was a nice momentum carry through from Australia and to see the guys put in the processes that we always speak about, was really encouraging and to reap the rewards even more special,” said Maharaj.

The second ODI will take place on Thursday at Lord’s — the same venue where the Proteas lifted the World Test Championship trophy earlier this year.

🚨 MATCH RESULT 🚨

A dominant all-round performance from the Proteas! 💥

Brilliant with the ball and unstoppable with the bat. A sensational 7-wicket win to take a 1-0 lead in the series. 🇿🇦🏏🔥#WozaNawe pic.twitter.com/ne99FgQkJ2

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) September 2, 2025

Written by: Ntsako Mukhari