England vs South Africa LIVE: Cricket World Cup 2023 reaction as Jos Buttler’s men lose by 229 runs

Follow all the live coverage from Mumbai as defending champions England take on South Africa

South Africa's Temba Bavuma on their must-win Cricket World Cup clash with England

England suffered another humiliating 229-run defeat against South Africa at Mumbai, which will be hard to come back from and keep any chances of Cricket World Cup semi-final qualification alive.

In Delhi, Jos Buttler’s side were left stunned and contemplating the nature of their 69-run defeat to Afghanistan, who only recently acquired full-ICC member status, and they fell apart again against the Proteas.

The cracks that had been evident in their first two matches became gaping holes, Henrich Klaasen smashed 109 from 67 to take South Africa to just short of 399, as England struggled to take wickets but it was the batting where the match became a disaster.

South Africa ripped through the top order, and other than a prolific record-breaking partnership for the ninth wicket between Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood, the next-highest score was Harry Brook’s 17.

It was England’s heaviest defeat in ODI cricket. It is worth remembering that England lost three matches and still qualified for the semi-finals when they went on to win the competition back in 2019, but with India and Australia still to play, it is looking like a difficult task.

Here’s everything you need to know about the cricket World Cup fixture and get the latest odds here.

England vs South Africa

• England take on South Africa in bid to get World Cup title defence on track
• Wicket! de Kock out for 4! ct Buttler b Topley South Africa 4-1
• Van der Dussen 50! South Africa 105-1
• Hendricks 50! South Africa 106-1
• Wicket! van der Dussen out for 60! ct Bairstow b Rashid, South Africa 125-2
• Wicket! Hendricks out for 85! b Rashid, South Africa 164-3
• Wicket! Markram out for 42! ct Bairstow b Topley, South Africa 233-4
• SIX! Klaasen smashes Topley in an expensive over for England, South Africa 306-5
• 100! What an innings, Klaasen flicks Wood for four, South Africa 344-5
• Proteas set England imposing target of 400 to win after brilliant Klaasen century
• Wicket! Malan edges Jansen and the Proteas are well on top at the start of this chase, England 29-3
• Catch! Stokes must walk, Rabada getting down low to claim the vital wicket, England 38-4
• Wicket! Skipper Buttler must walk, Coetzee with an aggressive send-off, England 68-5
• Wicket! Brook given a heavy send off by Coetzee and the review does not help, England 68-6
• Wicket! Rashid out for 10! Coetzee strikes again, England 84-7
• Wicket! Willey out for 12 and a stunning catch from Rabada, England 100-8
• Wicket! Atkinson out for 35, and England suffer 229-run defeat
• South Africa beat England by 229 runs

[21 October 2023 13:20 · Jack Rathborn]

South Africa 348-5 (47.0) - Jansen 35, Klaasen 104, Wood 0-76 (7)

100! A ton for Heinrich Klaasen and that is one of the finest innings of his career.

Wood is flicked off the pads to deep fine leg, only 61 balls to bring up the century.

Klaasen roars in delight, England unravelling and there are still a couple of overs left, damage limitation? We’re almost beyond that stage.

[21 October 2023 13:13 · Jack Rathborn]

South Africa 335-5 (46.0) - Jansen 34, Klaasen 90, Willey 0-61 (9)

England are exhausted, Willey with a no ball, it’s too high, but it doesn’t matter, Klaasen will gently cut that over the boundary for a six, South Africa rocketing towards 350.

That’s better from Willey to finish the over, back of a length and angling away once more. He hunches over his knees, he’s drained.

But so are the Proteas batters, a vital four coming up overs here.

[21 October 2023 12:57 · Jack Rathborn]

South Africa 306-5 (44.0) - Jansen 20, Klaasen 81, Topley 3-63 (8)

BANG! Jansen with another mighty hit, Topley is bashed to the boundary and the Proteas are picking up precious runs here.

A partnership that has blossomed to 49. It’s humid, it’s sticky, England are floundering a little.

There’s another for Jansen, a baseball swing, that length ball is nailed. And another! 300 up for South Africa and Buttler has a grimace on his face, England are in big trouble now.

SIX! Klaasen with a monster hit now, Topley is getting the treatment, so a maximum and three fours. It was a cutter, on length from Topley, but that is easy power, clattered over long-off and carrying 79 meters.

[21 October 2023 12:44 · Jack Rathborn]

South Africa 268-5 (41.1) - Jansen 11, Klaasen 52, Topley 3-41 (6.1)

That’s a gorgeous sweep from Klaasen, he’s timing Rashid well now.

He’s there, on 47, and keen to get the Proteas home with Jansen.

262/5... nine more overs, can South Africa touch 350?

Now Topley to steam in, battling through the pain, can he finish this off for England and secure an attractive total to chase?

Not a good start, that’s 50 up for Klaasen, driven hard through the off side. Super shot!

[21 October 2023 12:26 · Jack Rathborn]

Wicket! Miller out for 5! ct Stokes b Topley South Africa 244-5

Topley to Miller... OUT!

England have another, after Willey was left rolling on the turf in agony, cramp in his calf, fortunately, as he gets up and laughs off the pain.

But Topley has a fifth for England and the Proteas are stumbling a little here.

It’s swatted straight to the bucket-like hands of Stokes at mid-off, the ball from Topley was full and dangled outside off, but the connection off the toe has cost him.

[21 October 2023 12:20 · Sonia Twigg]

South Africa 239-4 (36), Klaasen 40, Miller 1, Willey 0-43 (8)

Willey continues against the new batter. It was an ideal time to break the partnership which had just crept up to around 70 runs.

Stokes did well to stop that in the field but looked to be hobbling slightly after that dive.

The last ball is wide and flashed away for four and Willey has cramp.

[21 October 2023 12:13 · Sonia Twigg]

Wicket! Makram out for 42! ct Bairstow b Topley South Africa 233-4

Topley is back for the first time since the seventh over, and concerningly starts with a wide.

He has strapping on the finger but it was clearly bothering him before when Root had to finish his fourth over.

It improved from then and South Africa were limited to singles until the final ball of the over when Topley struck!

Markram looked to score off that and Bairstow did well to run around, took the catch and lost his footing but kept ball in hand and managed to avoid the boundary rope.

[21 October 2023 12:08 · Sonia Twigg]

South Africa 227-3 (34) Markram 40, Klaasen 32, Willey 0-37 (7)

Adil Rashid has gone off and just sitting on the sidelines, that’s concerning as he’s provided the two breakthroughs so far.

The score predictor has shown 364, and that will be a tough ask for England, while the Proteas might be hoping for more.

Just the five from Willey’s latest over, England will need more where that came from.

[21 October 2023 12:04 · Sonia Twigg]

South Africa 222-3 (33) Markram 38, Klaasen 30, Wood 0-53 (5)

After the drinks break South Africa have another boundary, wayward from Wood and just tipped around the corner for an easy boundary off the hip.

It has been an expensive over as far as England are concerned, and South Africa are looking strong and building another partnership.

[21 October 2023 11:57 · Sonia Twigg]

South Africa 208-3 (32) Markram 33, Klaasen 21, Willey 0-33 (6)

Willey does not normally bowl in the middle overs, and he has started his sixth with a wide.

The ball looks bashed, but it has actually been an okay over from Willey, five runs from it.