England ended their ODI series on a historic high, thrashing South Africa by a world record 342 runs in Southampton on Sunday. Joe Root’s fluent 100 off 96 balls and Jacob Bethell’s explosive maiden century, 110 from just 82 deliveries, powered England to a mammoth 414-5 in their 50 overs. Despite having already lost the series, England’s batting dominance set the stage for a morale-boosting finale.
South Africa’s reply never took off as Jofra Archer ripped through their batting order with a fiery spell of 4-18. His pace and bounce left the visitors helpless, with wickets tumbling in quick succession. Bowled out for a paltry 72, South Africa were handed the heaviest defeat in ODI history. Skipper Temba Bavuma could not bat due to injury, further compounding their collapse.
The margin eclipsed India’s 317-run victory over Sri Lanka in 2023, marking a new record in the format. While South Africa took the series 2-1, England’s emphatic win served as a psychological edge ahead of the T20I series beginning in Cardiff on Wednesday.
