Under-fire Jason Roy hits century but England collapse to defeat in first ODI against South Africa

Jason Roy preserved his international future on Friday night with a punishing 11th one-day hundred but England somehow spurned his dramatic return to form with a horror collapse to lose to South Africa by 27 runs.

All the talk this week had been whether Roy, the man whose run-out dismissal sealed World Cup victory four years ago, retained the power and prowess to help England defend their title in India this October.

England captain Jos Buttler insisted he did, throwing his weight behind Roy’s continued presence at the top of the order and was vindicated when a player who had gone 14 internationals without a 50 turned things around in spectacular style to hit 113 off 91 deliveries.

England collapsed from 146-0 to 271 all out as South Africa won the first ODI by 27 runs

England should have been in cruise control as a result but the lack of responsibility running through the middle order once Dawid Malan departed for 59 drastically altered the game’s complexion.

The body language of both teams as England powered their way to146 without loss in the 20th over suggested the result was inevitable.

But the tourists were suckered by the short ball tactics of fast bowlers Anrich Nortje, Sisanda Magala and Kagiso Rabada on a surface that offered steep bounce and England’s sorry fate was sealed with 34 deliveries unused when last man Olly Stone poked a return catch to left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi.

Jos Buttler’s team had lost all 10 wickets for 125, and gifted a South African team languishing in 11th place in one-day cricket’s Super League a crucial 10 points in their World Cup qualification bid.

Under-fire England opener Jason Roy hit 113 off 91 balls with 11 fours and 4 sixes

Signs of Roy’s fluency returning had been evident in six-hitting practice alongside ODI debutant Harry Brook 24 hours earlier and he transferred it to the middle, clearing the ropes four times at Mangaung Oval to take the focus away, temporarily at least, from a chastening return from a two-year injury absence for Jofra Archer, who leaked 81 runs from his 10 overs, the worst figures of his England career.

‘It was a phenomenal innings full of personality and courage, some fantastic shots. So I’m delighted to see him back to his best, he’s worked really hard to get there and been through a tough time,’ said Buttler, of a player whose wretched form saw him lose his Twenty20 place six months ago.

‘Having the strength of character to come out and play in the fashion he did and really impose himself was fantastic to see.’

The emotional response to reaching a hundred with a fiercely-pulled four off Nortje was a swirl of upper cuts with his bat. There was a hug from Buttler too.

Roy shared an opening partnership of 146 with Dawid Malan in Bloemfontein

Unfortunately, a short-arm jab did for him soon afterwards when he hauled a delivery from Kagiso Rabada to deep square leg. By that stage, England were four down – Brook marking his first ODI appearance with a duck and Ben Duckett making single figures in his first outing in six years.

When Moeen Ali gifted a catch to deep square off man-of-the-match Magala, England had lost half their side and were still 77 runs shy of their target.

With panic set in, Buttler flirted outside off-stump a dozen runs later and with his departure went England’s hopes.

Sam Curran, whose exceptional three-wicket display with the ball kept South Africa below 300, and fellow left-hander David Willey combined to take Magala for 15 in an over but they both departed during a succession of pokes and flaps in the face of sustained home hostility. Buttler later claimed his side had been a ‘bit tentative.’

Sam Curran (above) was the pick of the England bowlers with 3-35 from his nine overs

Earlier, the entrance of England’s own 90-mile-per-hour man Archer into the attack for the second over was greeted by huge cheers from the travelling support.

However, the Sussex fast bowler found the going tough in his first international appearance since the tour of India in March 2021, having prepared for it with just five SA20 matches.

Having leaked 41 runs in his initial five-over spell with the new ball, he went at less than a run a ball in his second but his rustiness was exposed in a nightmare 47th over of the innings that cost 20, including a free hit six by centurion Rassie van der Dussen and another no-ball – a waist-high full toss, carved to the rope by David Miller.

South Africa made 298-7 in 50 overs with Rassie van der Dussen top scoring with 111

Buttler called for perspective, however, when he said: ‘From my point of view, it’s giving him a bit of time. It’s a big, big step-up to come and bowl 10 overs in international cricket, which adds a higher level of intensity again. He’s going to get better and better and better the more games he plays.’

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma admitted his team had been studying England’s pioneering methods of free-scoring yet it was some old school nous from Van der Dussen, weaving the ball into gaps to register a fourth hundred and take his one-day international average into the 70s, that got them to what frustratingly proved to be a defendable total.

Jofra Archer returned to England action during the first ODI against South Africa on Friday