South Africa registered a thrilling victory over England in the second ODI to seal the three-match series.
Matthew Breetzke’s brilliance lifts South Africa to 330/8
South Africa posted a commanding total of 330/8 in 50 overs after being asked to bat first at Lord’s. The star of the innings was Matthew Breetzke, who struck a fluent 85 off 77 deliveries with seven fours and three sixes, anchoring the middle order.
Support came from Tristan Stubbs (58 off 62) and a blistering cameo by Dewald Brevis (42 off 20), who entertained the crowd with his fearless stroke play. Aiden Markram (49) narrowly missed a half-century, while Corbin Bosch (32 off 29) chipped in late runs.
England’s bowling effort was spearheaded by Jofra Archer (4/62), who delivered hostile spells and removed key batters. Adil Rashid (2/33) provided crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs, but the rest of the attack struggled for consistency as South Africa piled on pressure.
England falls short despite late charge
Chasing 331, England’s innings was a rollercoaster. The early loss of Jamie Smith (0) and Ben Duckett (14) put them under pressure before Joe Root steadied the chase with 61 off 72 balls. Youngster Jacob Bethell’s counterattacking 58 off 40 kept the hosts alive.
Jos Buttler (61 off 51) and Will Jacks (39 off 33) played vital knocks, while Jofra Archer (27 off 14) injected late fireworks. However, South Africa’s bowlers held their nerve in the death overs.
Nandre Burger (3/63) was the pick of the bowlers, backed by Keshav Maharaj (2/59) and Corbin Bosch (1/38), ensuring England finished at 325/9, falling short by just five runs.
South Africa beat England by 5 runs 👉 https://t.co/lvvkdr3Bbe#cricket #ENGvSA #ODI pic.twitter.com/F1itPWXSZL
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) September 5, 2025
Also WATCH: Tristan Stubbs narrowly avoids disaster as bat slips and nearly hits his stumps in ENG vs SA 2nd ODI
Player of the Match
Breetzke’s composed 85 earned him the Player of the Match award. His knock provided the backbone of South Africa’s innings and proved decisive in a tightly contested game.
With this nail-biting win, South Africa now lead the three-match series 2-0, having clinched the opening ODI by seven wickets. The third and final ODI will be played at The Rose Bowl on Sunday, September 7, where England will look to salvage pride, while South Africa aim for a clean sweep.
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