South Africa National Cricket Team vs England Cricket Team Timeline: The clash between the South Africa National Cricket Team and the England Cricket Team has been one of the oldest and most intense rivalries in cricket history. Over the years, a century-long battle has provided us with dramatic Test matches, matches to the last ball in One-Day Internationals, and intense confrontations in high-pressure T20 matches. The change from colonial encounters to global tournaments reflects the evolution of the game. What follows is a detailed timeline of some of the highlights, landmark victories, and brilliant performances that demonstrate this fierce cricketing rivalry.
1889-1930: The Birth of a Rivalry
The first encounter between South Africa and England happened on March 12, 1889 at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth and England won the first Test match with a comfortable victory by 8 wickets. As a result, South Africa’s quest on the international stage of cricket was initiated.
In the 1905–06 Test series, South Africa won their first series against England with a convincing 4-1 victory. This victory represented a watershed moment in South African cricket as this confirmed the acceptance of the Proteas as a competitive team in international Test cricket.
By 1910, South Africa was in a much stronger position, as it had won the 1909 – 10 series against England 3 – 2, and had drawn two from the three matches in 1907. Albert Vogler and Colin Blythe were carrying a lot of excitement and a competitive image of South Africa into the cricketing world.
In 1912, South Africa, along with England and Australia took part in the Triangular Series, but their performance was hampered by the ongoing rain and unfamiliar conditions, which lead to England winning all of their matches.
The ongoing World War delayed international cricket, when England toured South Africa in the 1913 – 14 season, England went on to win the series by four matches to nil. John Douglas was the standout player of the series with performance with both bat and ball.
After World War I, international cricket resumed with the series of the 1922 – 23 season. South Africa stunned England by defeating the visitors in the first Test, but then lost the series eventually by two matches to one. The series in 1924 was reclaimed by England, while the series in 1927 – 28 ended in a series draw. In that time, the rivalry had developed retrospectively from a position of complete subjugation to one of parity in the rivalry.
1930s to 1950: Close Series
In the 1930-31 season South Africa had a home series win over England 1-0; four of the five Tests were drawn. At the time, the two main players were Bruce Mitchell and Wally Hammond.
1935 was a major milestone for South Africa when they won their first Test match on English soil against England and claimed their first series win against them 1-0; Mitchell made 164 at Lords, which is an iconic symbol of South Africa becoming a Test playing country.
After the Second World War (WWII), in 1947 England hosted South Africa. England won 3-0 in a five-match Test series, with Bill Edrich making 191 in the third Test.
1950s to 1970 Rivalry Debated
The rivalry between the two sides became competitive in the 1950s. During this time South Africa created a strong rivalry – it was during the Test series in 1955 that they became a true rival. Even though England won the series, South Africa did win the third and fourth Tests. South Africa can boast that they had Hugh Tayfield, Trevor Goddard and Paul Winslow; whereas England had Denis Compton and Peter May who were nearing the end of their careers.
In 1960, England were again winners but South Africa proved to be a nemesis primarily due to lack of consistent play (not ability). The 1950s and 1960s also marked the last regularly competitive playing between the two before international cricket affected South Africa with micro-apartheid policies.
1990s to 2010: The return of the Proteas
South Africa emerged back into the international sporting world after being absent for decades. The first ODI between South Africa and England occurred in 1992 at the Benson & Hedges World Cup in Melbourne with a whole bunch of fans watching. South Africa lost this nailbiter with England winning by three wickets. Alec Stewart and Neil Fairbrother ensured that South Africa would taste that defeat.
The following year in 1994, South Africa toured England for a Test series. South Africa’s re-emergence into the international endeavor was prolific in the first Test, with England being blown out for 180 runs. South Africa walked away with a total margin victory of 356 runs.
Modern Day Clashes: 2019 – Present
The rivalry now has a fresh pop with the World Cup histronics and T20 fireworks
2019 ICC World Cup Opener
England played South Africa in the first match of the 2019 World Cup. England scored 311/8 with Ben Stokes contributing 89 and taking two wickets. South Africa were all out for 207 with Jofra Archer with 3/27.
2022 England series
In 2022 England hosted South Africa for test cricket. South Africa were victorious in the first test quite easily. England fought back in the second test with a century from Ben Stokes and an unbeaten 113 from Ben Foakes. England won the series 2-1 and showed good resilience against tough challenges.
2025 ICC Champions Trophy
In 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, South Africa had one of their finest victories over England in this match. After bowling England out for only 179 runs, Rassie van der Dussen made 72 not out guiding South Africa to victory with a chase of 180 runs in only 30.4 overs. This knocked England out of the tournament on the back of three straight defeats in the group stage, as well as ending Jos Buttler’s international career.
South Africa Tour of England: 2025- Upcoming Schedule
Teams
Match Venues
- Headingley, Leeds
- Lord’s, London
- The Rose Bowl, Southampton
- Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
- Old Trafford, Manchester
- Trent Bridge, Nottingham
ODI Series
| Match | Date | Venue | Time (IST) | Time (GMT) | Time (Local) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI | Tue, 2 Sep 2025 | Headingley, Leeds | 5:30 PM | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM |
| 2nd ODI | Thu, 4 Sep 2025 | Lord’s, London | 5:30 PM | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM |
| 3rd ODI | Sun, 7 Sep 2025 | The Rose Bowl, Southampton | 3:30 PM | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM |
T20I Series
| Match | Date | Venue | Time (IST) | Time (GMT) | Time (Local) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st T20I | Wed, 10 Sep 2025 | Sophia Gardens, Cardiff | 11:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:30 PM |
| 2nd T20I | Fri, 12 Sep 2025 | Old Trafford, Manchester | 11:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:30 PM |
| 3rd T20I | Sun, 14 Sep 2025 | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 7:00 PM | 1:30 PM | 2:30 PM |
Final Thoughts: A Rivalry For The Ages
The rivalry between England and South Africa is not merely a series of matches, but a narrative of resilience, regeneration, and transformation. From the colonial cricketing leviathans to the rebirth after apartheid, from exhilarating test matches to the global white-ball spectacle, both teams have continued to display resilience, brave skill, and the determination to win, every era sending down a myriad of legends and unforgettable moments and stories.
And as the rivalry continues, there will always be the accompanying drama, angst and passion, making England VS South Africa as significant a fixture in international cricket history as any.
