England Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Timeline

The England Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team timeline is an exciting expedition into one of the most intense rivalries in international cricket. Since its initial encounter in 1889, the rivalry has witnessed extraordinary moments, iconic players and sporting battles throughout the full spectrum of formats. Firstly, in the Test arena, real grit and determination showed the characteristics of recent encounters, to the escalating intensity of Cricket World Cup encounters, to entertaining high-stakes T20 games. There has never been a shortage of drama in cricket’s premier rivalry. The timeline contains key relevant moments, significant series wins and decisive events in the overall canon of both teams. So, delve into and discover how this intense rivalry has developed, from any colonial aspect to a much more modern international role in cricket.

Table of Contents

England Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Timeline

1889-1930: Initial Encounters

The first Test match between South Africa and England took place at Port Elizabeth’s St. George’s Park on 12th March, 1889. South Africa lost by eight wickets to a more seasoned England team in their debut Test match.

South Africa’s turning point occurred in the 1905-1906 South Africa vs England Test series, when they defeated England 4–1 for the first time. England had the early lead. For South Africa, it was an important event.

As the two sides grew used to facing one another in Test matches, South Africa’s resilience against England was growing. While England only won one game and two were drawn in the 1907 series, South Africa won the 1909-1910 South Africa v England 3-2. Extreme bowling attacks were displayed by players like Colin Blythe and Albert Vogler.

In the 1912 Triangular Series, which included matches between Australia, England, and South Africa, England won all three of the ensuing games. Rain throughout the tournament impacted the matches in South Africa’s opening series against Australia, while England’s prior experience with damp conditions helped them in 1912.

For their last series before World War I, which concluded the spring season in the UK and Europe in 1918, England traveled to South Africa for 1913–14 South Africa vs England series. John Douglas, the England team’s captain, scored runs, took wickets, and controlled the series as England went 4-0 with one game drawn.

England and South Africa played five matches in the 1922–23 South Africa vs England series. With two wins against one loss for South Africa and two draws, England emerged victorious in the series. South Africa won the first Test by 168 runs under Herbert Taylor’s captaincy after he scored 176 runs in the second innings. George Macaulay’s bowling attack helped England win by a wicket in the second Test despite a challenging chase. The Three Lions won by 109 runs in the fifth game, while the next two were drawn.

In the 1924 England vs South Africa series, England prevailed 3-0 while two games were tied. In the second test, Jack Hobbs scored an incredible 211, while in the third test of the series, Maurice Tate claimed nine wickets for 86 runs.

A controversial five-match Test series between South Africa and England was later played in 1927–28 South Africa vs England, with South Africa winning the final two games and England winning the first two. In the third game, there was a draw. The show won accolades for being balanced and memorable.

1930s to 1950: Era of Close Battles

In the 1930–31 South Africa vs England Test series, South Africa prevailed 1-0. South Africa defeated England by 28 runs in the opening encounter. All four of the other matches finished in a tie. Bruce Mitchell and Wally Hammond were outstanding batsmen, while William Voce (Bill Voce) and Eiulf Nupen (Buster Nupen) were outstanding bowlers.

In the 1935 England vs South Africa Test series, South Africa won the trophy by a score of 1-0, demonstrating their increasing skill after a close game in the 1930–31 season. It was iconic in their rivalry as they first won a Test match in England. Four of the series’ matches were deemed tied, and the Proteas won the second game by 157 runs. At Lord’s, Bruce Mitchell led the South African innings once more with a commanding 164-run second innings against England.

Known as “The Timeless Test,” the 1938–1939 South Africa vs England series was the longest Test cricket match ever, spanning nine days and 680 overs. England won by an innings and 13 runs in the third game of the series; the other four games were drawn.

The 1947 England vs South Africa Test series marked South Africa’s post-World War II return to English territory. England won three of the five games, with the first and last ending in a draw. Bill Edrich demonstrated his genius in the third Test of the series by scoring 191 runs in the opening innings against South Africa.

In the first and last game of the 1948–49 South Africa vs England Test series, England prevailed 2-0. The other games were drawn. England won by two wickets in the opening game of the series and by three wickets in the last game. England’s series victory was largely due to their excellent individual performances and effective team strategies.

1950s to 1970: The Period of Intense Rivalry

South Africa won the opening game of the 1951 England vs South Africa Test series by a margin of 71 runs. But after winning 3-1 in the five-match series, with one game ending in a draw, England took home the trophy. The dominance of England’s bowlers made it tough for South Africa to establish partnerships.

The 1955 England vs South Africa Test series was an intriguing one because, after a long period, South Africa offered England significant challenge. South Africa won the third and fourth Test matches, while England won the other three. South Africa’s top performers included Hugh Tayfield, Trevor Goddard, Russell Endean, Paul Winslow, John Waite, Derrick (Jackie) McGlew, Roy McLean, and Peter May. However, the best players from England’s team were John Wardle, Brian Statham, Peter May, and Denis Compton.

With their reliable batting and calculated bowling strategies, England dominated the 1960 England vs South Africa Test series once more. They established the groundwork for their success and anchored numerous innings with Peter Richardson as their opener. South Africa had trouble staying consistent when against the more experienced players from England.

1990s to 2010: The Return of South Africa

South Africa’s first One-Day International (ODI) match against England took place in Melbourne during the 1991–1992 Benson & Hedges World Cup, following their reinstatement to international cricket. Using the D/L method, England won by three wickets. With 77 runs, Alec Stewart led the chase, closely followed by Neil Fairbrother’s undefeated 75. Using the D/L technique, England triumphed by 19 runs once more in the second World Cup semi-final.

The first Test series that South Africa played in England after being permitted to resume cricket was the 1994 England vs South Africa series. In the first match, South Africa won by 356 runs, while England was dismissed at 180 runs in the first innings.

South Africa’s first ODI victory over England occurred in 1995–96, when they defeated England by a margin of six runs. Shaun Pollock won Player of the Match after smashing 66* in the first innings and claiming four vital wickets.

South Africa’s increasing supremacy against England was demonstrated throughout the 1999–2000 Test and ODI series. The Proteas prevailed 2-1 in the test series and 3-1 in the ODI series.

South Africa’s first Twenty20 international match was against England in the 2007–2008 ICC World Twenty20 at Newlands. The game was won by South Africa by 19 runs. Albie Morkel led his team to victory with a game-winning knock against England, scoring 43 off 20 balls. Morkel also took important wickets, getting rid of Owais Shah and Matt Prior.

In the second match of the 2009–10 South Africa vs England series, which took place at Centurion on November 15, 2009, South Africa leveled the series with a resounding 84-run victory in a high-scoring thriller. Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman’s combination helped their team win by scoring 182 runs between them, which at the time was a world record for opening stands in T20 internationals.

2010 to Recent Encounters

England scored 171 runs in the 2010–11 ICC World Cup in Chennai, however, South Africa was bowled out at 165 runs during their chase, giving England a 6-run victory. The four wickets taken by Stuart Broad were essential to England’s victory.

South Africa won the 2015–16 South Africa vs England series 2-1 thanks to bowling from Imran Tahir. Because he dismissed important English players in the first match at Newlands, he was also named Player of the Match. With AB de Villiers scoring 71, Hashim Amla scoring 69*, and Faf du Plessis scoring 22*, South Africa secured the series from England after Joe Root’s run chase of 83 in the second game tied the series.

The 2019 ICC World Cup opener between South Africa and England took place at Kennington Oval. South Africa set a target of 311/8 against England, but the Proteas were only able to score 207 runs in their pursuit. Ben Stokes put on an all-around display for England, scoring 89 runs and taking two wickets for 12 runs. Another crucial bowler was Jofra Archer, who took three wickets for 27 runs.

The 2022 England vs South Africa match took place in England, once again demonstrating their supremacy at home. The first game was won by South Africa, but the other two were won by England. South Africa responded with 326 to the Three Lions’ 165-run innings. In the second innings, the Proteas won the match by dismissing the English players early for 149 runs. Ben Stokes scored 103 and Ben Foakes scored an undefeated 113 to win the second game, which featured a different English squad.

In the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, South Africa defeated England by 7 wickets at the National Stadium in Karachi. After choosing to bat first, England was bowled for just 179 runs in 38.2 overs. South Africa quickly chased down the target, reaching 180/3 in 31.4 overs. Rassie van der Dussen guided the Proteas to victory with an unbeaten 72 runs. With this victory, South Africa advanced to the semifinals of the Champions Trophy. This is the final outing for England captain Jos Buttler, who announced his retirement after the team’s third consecutive group stage loss.

The England Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Timeline from 1899-2025 is full of intense tussles, incredible moments, and key events. Whether it is the intensity of Test matches, the pressure of ODIs, or the crazy fun of T20s, these matches have often depended on teams’ plans and individual talents of players. There is usually a lot on the line, and this rivalry will probably continue to provide a lot of cricket-related memories in the future that are timeless and will never be forgotten.

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