England thrash South Africa by 342 runs in ODI
England smashed South Africa on Sunday with a record win in the third one-day match at the Rose Bowl. The gap was 342 runs, the largest in one-day cricket. The result topped India’s 317-run win over Sri Lanka in 2023.
England, sent to bat first, stacked up 414-5 in 50 overs. Joe Root held the line with a steady 100. Young Jacob Bethell stole the show with 110 from 76 balls, his first ton.
His stand of 182 with Root drove the charge and made him England’s second-youngest one-day centurion after David Gower. Jos Buttler then struck hard, blasting 62 off 32 balls unbeaten, while Jamie Smith added a sharp 62.
Then, Jofra Archer ripped through South Africa’s top order with heat and bite, grabbing 4-18 in nine overs. The chase fell apart fast, as the visitors slumped to 7-4 and never found ground. They were skittled for 72 in just 20.5 overs. Brydon Carse and Adil Rashid wrapped it up, sharing five wickets to seal the rout.
Despite the heavy loss, South Africa had already won the series 2-1. Still, England’s huge win sent a bold note. The teams now turn to a three-match T20 run, starting September 10 in Cardiff. England will aim to ride their spark into the shorter game.
