NEW DELHI: South Africa endured a nightmarish outing in Southampton on Sunday, slumping to the heaviest defeat in ODI history as England romped to a record 342-run victory. The tourists were bundled out for a paltry 72 in just 20.5 overs while chasing a daunting 415, a collapse that underlined the sheer dominance of Jofra Archer and the destructive brilliance of Jacob Bethell.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The margin of defeat eclipsed the previous record of 317 runs set by India against Sri Lanka in 2023, making it the biggest win in ODI history when batting first. For South Africa, it was an embarrassment narrowly shy of their lowest ODI total of 69 against Australia back in 1993.England’s commanding position was built on their fifth-highest ODI score, 414/5. Bethell, the 21-year-old left-hander fast-tracked into all formats, played a sparkling knock of 110 off 82 balls — his maiden ODI century — decorated with 13 fours and three sixes. Joe Root added a fluent 100, while Jos Buttler (62 not out) and opener Jamie Smith (62) piled on the misery for South Africa’s bowlers.
Biggest victory margins in ODIs
- 342 runs – ENG vs SA, Southampton, 2025
- 317 runs – IND vs SL, Thiruvananthapuram, 2023
- 309 runs – AUS vs NED, Delhi, 2023
- 304 runs – ZIM vs USA, Harare, 2023
- 302 runs – IND vs SL, Mumbai WS, 2023
But it was Archer who stole the show with the ball. Charging in at over 90 mph, the fast bowler ripped through the top order with figures of 4-18 in nine overs. He removed four of South Africa’s top five, including skipper Aiden Markram in the opening over and the in-form Matthew Breetzke, to leave the Proteas reeling at 18/5. Brydon Carse and Adil Rashid combined to wipe out the tail, with Rashid collecting three wickets.Only Corbin Bosch provided token resistance with 20, while Temba Bavuma’s absence through injury meant the visitors were effectively a batsman short.The result was a welcome boost for England, who had already lost the three-match series after defeats at Headingley and Lord’s. More importantly, it marked a return to form for Archer, whose fitness remains central to England’s hopes in the upcoming Ashes series.For South Africa, the humiliation will sting deeply. Their shot at redemption comes quickly, with a T20I series against England beginning on Wednesday, but this crushing defeat will linger as one of the darkest days in their ODI history.