ENG vs SA 2025: England vs South Africa, 2nd ODI Match Preview

England (ENG) will face South Africa (SA) in the second ODI of the ongoing three-match series on Thursday, September 4, at Lord’s, London, with the visitors leading the three-match series 1-0, following their thumping seven-wicket win in the series opener at the Headingley.

The hosts endured a disappointing outing in the opening game, getting bundled out for just 131 runs while batting first in Leeds. Apart from Jamie Smith (54) and Adil Rashid (3 for 26), none of the English players managed to make an impact. The Harry Brook-led side will now look to regroup and bounce back strongly in front of their home crowd to keep the series alive.

South Africa, on the other hand, continued their fine form from the recent Australia series. Their bowlers dominated proceedings, with Wiaan Mulder and Keshav Maharaj spearheading the attack. Maharaj was the Player of the Match in the previous match for his 4-22 that completely dismantled the English batting unit. The Temba Bavuma-led side will aim to replicate that performance at Lord’s and clinch the series with one match to spare.

Match Details

Pitch Report

The surface at Lord’s usually begins firm, providing good pace and carry for batters in the early stages of the innings. Fast bowlers can extract movement with the new ball, which will help further with the overcast conditions around, making the powerplay crucial. As the game progresses, the pitch tends to slow down, bringing spinners into play. Batters who settle in can score freely, but stroke-making often becomes more challenging in the latter overs. Opting to bat first would be a wise decision in this match.

ENG vs SA Head-to-Head Record in ODIs

ENG vs SA Predicted Playing 11s

England

Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Sonny Baker

South Africa

Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Wiaan Mulder, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi