This after being under the pump and staring down the barrel of defeat to the world champions. Outstanding bowling by Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala swung the game in the favour of South Africa.

The Proteas won the toss at the Mangaung Oval and opted to have a bat first.

The Proteas managed to score 298/7 in their allotted 50 overs thanks to an outstanding 111 by Rassie van der Dussen off of 117 deliveries.

He was well supported by the former Knights batter, David Miller, who struck 53 runs from 56 balls.

The tone was set upfront by the opening batters, Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock who had a 1st wicket stand of 61 runs before the Proteas skipper was dismissed for 36 runs. De Kock in turn scored 37 runs.

The spinning all-rounder, Moeen Ali, was the pick of the English bowlers with 3/51 in 8 overs.

The Durban-born English opening batter, Jason Roy, put the visitors on the right track for a win with a blistering 113 runs off 91 balls. Dawid Malan in turn scored 59 runs, as the pair put on a first wicket partnership of 146 runs before Sisanda Magala made the breakthrough.

The English captain, Jos Buttler, contributed with a knock of 36 runs before being dismissed by the fiery seamer, Anrich Nortjé.

The dismissal of Buttler saw the game starting to swing in the favour of the South Africans, but there was still work to be done.

Nortjé ended with figures of 4/62 in his 10 overs and was the pick of the Proteas bowlers.

Magala in turn took 3/46 in 9 overs, but it was the spinner, Tabraiz Shamsi, who took stick all night, to claim the final wicket and win the game when he dismissed Olly Stone caught-and-bowled with the visitors score on 271.

The second of three ODI’s will be played at the Mangaung Oval on Sunday, with play starting at 10:00.

Morgan Piek/OFM Sport