England and South Africa ODI games have always had intense rivalry, and that is reflected by the many monumental encounters in rival encounters in all formats. The second ODI of the upcoming 3-match series, which will be held at Lord’s, the ‘Home of Cricket’ in London, on 04th September 2025, is bound to be nothing short of sensational.
England came into this game under great pressure from their miserable defeat in the first ODI hosting South Africa at Headingley, where they were bowled out for just 131 runs. South Africa delivered clinical performances in every department, comfortably disposing of England for a comprehensive seven-wicket victory. With South Africa 1-0 up in the series, England faces a win-or-go-home scenario in this tied South Africa test series.
Match Details
- Fixture: England vs. South Africa, 2nd ODI (three-match series)
- Date: September 4th, 2025
- Venue: Lord’s, London
- Start Time: 12:00 PM (UTC)
- Series Situation: South Africa leads 1-0.
- Win Probability: England 57%, South Africa 43%
England vs. South Africa – 1st ODI Summary
England's campaign got off to the worst possible start at Headingley. Batting first, they collapsed against South Africa's disciplined bowling, making just 131 all out. Jamie Smith contributed a fighting half-century (54 off 48 balls), but the rest of the batters did not acclimatize at all to the conditions.
Keshav Maharaj's (4/22) spin bowling created problems for England's batting against spin and kept its middle order in check. Aiden Markram's blistering 86 (55 balls) made chasing down the target fairly routine for South Africa, who completed their victory with relative ease by 7 wickets and stamped their intent on England in the opening match of the series.
For England, it was another indicator of their often hopeless batting collapses that they haven't been able to shake since the 2023 World Cup. For South Africa, it was another indication that they continue to steadily improve in the limited-overs format, attributable to experienced leaders and exciting young players.
Pitch Report – Lord’s, London
The pitch at iconic Lord’s is considered a great batting deck, normally providing pace and bounce at the start of the match. However, by the end of the match, batters will see the seam, and spinners also get involved as the surface becomes more even.
First Innings Average Score (Last 10 ODIs): 282
Second Innings Average Score: 184
Toss Bias: 60% for teams batting first
Conditions: Cloudy, with possible movement early on for pacers. Spinners may get some spin later on in the match.
Captains who win the toss will likely bat first and prefer scoreboard pressure and history at the grounds.
England vs. South Africa Head-to-Head in ODIs
Matches: 72
England Wins: 30
South Africa Wins: 36
No Result: 5
Tie: 1
First Time Meeting: March 12, 1992
Most Recent Meeting: September 2, 2025 (1st ODI - Headingley)
The Proteas are historically ever so slightly ahead, and the way they are playing, they will hopefully make that gap wider.
England – Team Preview
Since England's disappointing World Cup campaign in 2023, their white-ball woes have continued. Under new leadership from Harry Brook, the areas of improvement are still evident and particularly with their handling of quality spin and middle-order collapses.
Strengths
Explosive batting firepower with Joe Root's class, Jos Buttler's finishing, and Ben Duckett's fluency.
A range of speed attacks, including the bounce of Brydon Carse, the express pace of Jofra Archer, and the cunning spin of Adil Rashid.
Strength in the batting line-up, and each participant is capable of finding momentum quickly.
Weaknesses
Weakness to left-arm spin (again highlighted by Maharaj).
Youngsters with little experience (Jacob Bethell, Sonny Baker) are yet to prove themselves.
The team overall relies too heavily on individual brilliance rather than collective consistency.
Predicted Playing XI – England
Jamie Smith
Ben Duckett
Joe Root
Harry Brook (c)
Jos Buttler (wk)
Jacob Bethell
Will Jacks / Rehan Ahmed
Brydon Carse
Jofra Archer
Adil Rashid
Saqib Mahmood / Sonny Baker
South Africa – Team Preview
South Africa looks to be in a good place to start this one, and their confidence must be flowing after their victory at Headingley. The batting group looks sharp, led by Markram and Rickelton. The spinners are still an important part of the game in English conditions.
Strengths
Aiden Markram's form, both as a batter and a leader
Depth in the spin department: Keshav Maharaj is in great form.
Exciting young players in Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs excited about the opportunity to perform
Strong bowling attack adaptable across conditions
Weaknesses
The middle order has not been pushed yet under pressure.
The seam department is inconsistent on flat wickets.
Top-order has become over-reliant on Markram and Rickelton
Predicted Playing XI – South Africa
Aiden Markram
Ryan Rickelton (wk)
Temba Bavuma (c)
Matthew Breetzke (if fit) / Tony de Zorzi
Tristan Stubbs
Dewald Brevis
Wiaan Mulder
Corbin Bosch
Keshav Maharaj
Nandre Burger
Lungi Ngidi / Kagiso Rabada
Key Battles
Harry Brook vs. Keshav Maharaj
Brooks needs to get over some issues against quality spin to enable England's chances of competing.
Aiden Markram vs. Jofra Archer
England will be hoping for early breakthroughs from Archer; Markram's aggressive intent might set the tone again.
Adil Rashid vs. Dewald Brevis
This will be an important middle-overs battle as Rashid's variations take on Brevis' power hitting.
Potential Top Performers
Best Batter (ENG): Harry Brook—likely to anchor a batting order and also accelerate the scoring.
Best Batter (SA): Aiden Markram—in superb form.
Best Bowler (ENG): Adil Rashid—an established wicket taker at Lord's.
Best Bowler (SA): Keshav Maharaj—has been a consistent threat to England’s middle order throughout the series.
Match Scenarios
Scenario 1 – England bats first
Powerplay score: 55-65
Final score: 280-290
Result: England wins
Scenario 2 - South Africa bats first
Powerplay score: 50-60
Final score: 275-285
Result: South Africa wins
Betting Tips & Predictions
Top run-scorer for England: Harry Brook 9-2
Top six-hitter for South Africa: Dewald Brevis 21-10
Result prediction: South Africa to beat England and win the series 2-0
Key Betting Statistics
England has lost 20 of their last 30 ODIs played.
South Africa has won 5 of their last 6 ODIs against England.
Harry Brook scored 87 at Lord’s last year against Australia.
Current Odds from Stake.com

Expert Analysis—Who has the edge?
England might be slight favorites going into Lord’s, but with South Africa’s current form over the previous few matches and their psychological momentum, they are currently the better team. The Proteas are full of confidence, their bowlers are in rhythm, and Markram is giving everything. England, on the other hand, appears unsettled with selection, fatigue, and ability to absorb pressure.
The hosts may again lose a home series unless their senior batters—Root, Brook, and Buttler—all fire. The Proteas have balance, hunger, and momentum; hence, they should be a better option.
Predictions: South Africa to win the 2nd ODI and take the series 2-0.
Final Prediction of the Match
The England vs. South Africa 2nd ODI 2025 at Lord's is going to be an explosive encounter, with England battling to stay alive in the series and the Proteas on the hunt to seal the deal. England's batters will need to step up, and South Africa has to hope they can keep the same clinical form.