Arriving for this three-match ODI series, many felt world-champions England wouldn't find it too difficult to ramp past an inexperienced South African unit but what transpired in the first game in Cape Town this Tuesday (February 4) left all of them surprised. The Proteas, under new captain Quinton de Kock, dominated their way through most of the contest and eventually ended the day with a seven-wicket victory.

As it happened, South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl before England openers Jason Roy (31) and Jonny Bairstow (19) put on 51 runs for the first wicket.  However, once JJ Smuts (1/43) sent back Bairstow, the visitors lost regular wickets thereafter, with no one in the middle-order finding his feet barring Joe Denly, whose solid knock of 87 runs, supported by No.8 Chris Woakes (40), helped the team finish with a 258/8 in 50 overs. Tabraiz Shamsi (3/38) did the bulk of the damage in the middle-overs. 

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In response, when opener Reeza Hendricks (6) went early, the Englishmen would've hoped to build further inroads but skipper Quinton de Kock and No.3 Temba Bavuma took the responsibility upon themselves and didn't let that happen by building a fantastic second-wicket partnership that took the game away from the visitors. 

De Kock (107), leading from the front, scored yet another hundred in this format while Bavuma (98) missed out on his ton by only a whisker. Together, they took their team past the finish line, with Rassie van der Dussen (38*) also contributing nicely. 

Woakes (1/36), Joe Root (1/35) and Chris Jordan (1/31) took a wicket apiece but all through, it was a struggle for the visitors' bowling attack. 

Brief scores: 

England 258/8 in 50 overs (Joe Denly 87; Tabraiz Shamsi 3/38) lost to South Africa 259/3 in 50 overs (Quinton de Kock 107; Chris Woakes 1/36) by seven wickets