England LOSE one-day series to South Africa after five-run defeat in second ODI – as Harry Brook’s struggling side fail to avenge woeful seven-wicket battering at Headingley

If it wasn’t clear already, it surely is now: England’s one-day team just can’t stop the bleeding. 

Defeat by five runs in the second ODI at Lord’s sounded narrower than it really was, and meant South Africa^[1] claimed the series with a game to spare. It also left England with just 10 wins out of 31 since the start of the 2023 World Cup.

Cricket stats sometimes come with a caveat, excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe on the basis that they represent easy runs and wickets. Yet those two nations are all that stand between England and the wooden spoon: only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have a lower win percentage in the last two years.

The saving grace? The next one-day World Cup isn’t until 2027. It can’t come round slowly enough.

Then again, what can possibly change while county cricket’s one-day tournament clashes with the Hundred, depriving England’s best white-ball players of the chance to hone their 50-over skills outside the pressure cooker of the international game?

England are operating under a self-imposed handicap, and seem as far away from cracking the ODI code as they did in the dark years before Eoin Morgan^[2] set about transforming their fortunes in 2015. The 3–0 win over West Indies in June should be seen for what it was: the only acceptable result against poor opponents. South Africa, even without their injured spearhead Kagiso Rabada, have been a cut above.

Defeat by five runs in the second ODI at Lord’s sounded narrower than it really was, and meant South Africa claimed the series with a game to spare

South Africa, even without their injured spearhead Kagiso Rabada, have been a cut above

It was not all doom and gloom. Adil Rashid looked in prime form while taking two for 33, and Jofra Archer emerged with a four-for. In the game’s dying moments, he even gave England unexpected hope with a couple of big sixes. One more to force a super over off the last ball proved beyond him.

Earlier, as they chased an imposing 331, Jacob Bethell – this summer’s forgotten man – crashed a 28-ball half-century, his first in any cricket for 17 innings. Joe Root made a typically effortless 61, while Jos Buttler continued to enjoy his post-captaincy liberation by making the same score, before he was outfoxed by Lungi Ngidi’s wickedly dipping slower delivery.

But too many of England’s players look tired, out-of-form or both. Two days after their humiliation at Headingley, when the whole game was done and dusted inside 45.2 overs, the question was how they would respond.

Had Rashid not got through his tightest 10-over spell in five years, the damage caused by Matthew Breetzke (85 off 77 balls), Tristan Stubbs (58 off 62) and Dewald Brevis (42 off 20) might have been even incalculable.

And by opting for a long batting line-up, England felt obliged to split the fifth-bowling duties between Bethell and Will Jacks, the part-time spinners: their 10 overs disappeared for 112.

But if that was their biggest structural problem, other matters were more personal. Ben Duckett, in particular, looks a man in desperate need of a breather.

That much looked obvious after he went straight into the Hundred after the gruelling five-Test series against South Africa, and averaged 17 for Birmingham Phoenix. Here, he poked and prodded his way to 14 off 33 balls, eventually bowled trying to reverse-hoick the left-arm spin of Keshav Maharaj. It was hard to remember him ever looking so scratchy.

Not so long ago, Duckett was being spoken of as the world’s best all-format opener. The humane thing now would be to allow him to rest until next month’s pre-Ashes trip to New Zealand. Without Duckett in full flow, England’s chances of winning in Australia will be greatly diminished.

It was not all doom and gloom. Adil Rashid looked in prime form while taking two for 33

Not so long ago, Duckett was being spoken of as the world’s best all-format opener. The humane thing now would be to allow him to rest

Asked if Duckett might now be rested, Brook replied: ‘We want to try to play our strongest side in every white-ball game.’ 

Others lacked an edge. Brydon Carse leaked 68, Jamie Smith – the only batsman to emerge from the Leeds car crash with any credit – fell to the first ball of the chase, and Brook got to 33 before spooning to cover one that turned and bounced from slow left-armer Senuran Muthusamy. Brook’s ODI numbers have not kept pace with his Test stats.

As for Sonny Baker, the Hampshire quick who made his international debut to great fanfare on Tuesday, only to leak 76 in seven overs, he was nowhere to be seen.

England had planned to play Saqib Mahmood at Headingley, but changed their plans when he took part in Sunday’s Hundred final. Fair enough, and Mahmood was not flattered by figures of none for 53. But Baker could do with a performance or two in the weeks ahead if his potential selection for the Ashes isn’t going to look like one Bazball punt too many.