South Africa vs England, 1st ODI at Bloemfontein, SA v ENG, Jan 27 2023 - Match Result

9.11pm Right. That's a wrap. A thrilling start to the series. Always said 50-over cricket was best...

I'll leave you with another nugget from Sampath: "Roy-Malan's stand of 146 is the second highest opening partnership for England in an unsuccessful ODI chase (7th highest by any pair)" This list is a smorgasbord of world-beating mess-ups. But, and it's a big but from England's perspective, at least Roy is back to form with a mighty innings. From Miller, Alan and Venkat, good night!

J Pearce: "One piece of advice for England. Please, please learn to incorporate 'milking the bowling' for 6-7 RPO risk free runs into tactics!!"

9.03pm Time for some presentations.

Here's Jos Buttler: "Disappointed. We played some excellent cricket for the majority of the game. Pretty happy at halfway, a very good wicket for batting, to restrict them to 298, very happy. To have that conviction and commitment to keep taking it on has served us well for a long time. We didn't commit enough to that, SA came back well and took wickets. The pitch got more difficult, was at its best against the new ball. We are disappointed we didn't go on to win."

The player of the match is Sisanda Magala for his 3 for 46: "Very happy considering the position we were in. To pull off that type of win was very good for us. Temba was trying to suss out the situation. I was first-change, it was what the situation needed. Bowl as straight as possible, hit the length, a few change-ups. Keep it simple. A bit two-paced, used the steepness. Worked out for us. Time for rest now!"

Temba Bavuma: "The man of the match, that's where the game changed for us, got us some momentum, the guys after him rode the momentum. After Quinny got out I thought it was a good wicket, wicket got slower, ball got soft. We felt a little below par but it was enough. Got to keep staying in the game, they played well, did it for longer periods than Quinny and myself. Magala was a threat, they haven't seen much of him. But I was expecting one of our bowlers to do something special. Anrich showed his quality and raw pace. We'll take the win, we need the points. The conversation will be, are we happy with how we went about our business?"

Sampath tells me, this is the first time Jason Roy's ODI hundred ended up on the losing side. All his previous ten tons came in wins.

8.55pm Wow. What a win! South Africa's first against England at Bloemfontein, and one of the most extraordinary they have ever pulled off. England were on cruise control at regular intervals, first in a 146-run opening stand, and then while Jos Buttler was marshalling a requirement of barely four an over. But Temba Bavuma gambled on a wickets hunt, turned to his seamers to bowl out early, and they delivered in style. Magala started things off, Rabada bounced back from some rough early treatment, then Nortje bowled like fire to rip through the tail. Remarkable.

Steyn: "Credit to Bavuma, think he's rotated the bowlers very well in this key ending. Bowled Nortje and Rabada out when we neede to go for the kill and it paid."

Adnan Ansari: "This is why Stokes is so important in this England side!!!"

vishal: "@Adnan Ansari Not stokes Roooooooooooot is important" Tell you what, I reckon there's room for both of them!

JOYDEEP GILL: "England From 146/0 to next 125 runs all out "

28 from 36... Parnell has two overs, Magala one... here's Shamsi... who's had some tap but now has a No.11 in his sights

So, the equation is fairly simple. Bat the overs, and England win. Somewhat complicated by the sudden lack of any wriggle room!

Olly Stone... he's got a job to do now!

England are blowing this in sensational style. Nortje has one ball for a five-for, and the win!

Snethemba : "Great... Now we're gonna be told about taking positives from a game we never once looked like winning... "

Nortje's last. Big six balls coming up

And is that the game too? England bat deep, but Curran was the class in the tail. 33 still needed from 48 balls. Getting them in singles rather goes against England's psyche, which might mess with their fabled mindset!

Rabada to complete his spell