By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa posted 399/7 on the board in their 2023 World Cup match against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
It is the highest total ever conceded by England, the defending World Cup champions.
A phenomenal century from Heinrich Klaasen led the South Africa charge in Mumbai. He top scored for the Proteas with his 109, while receiving a good hand from Marco Jansen. Earlier, Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen contributed with fifties of their own.
Klaasen reached 50 from 40 balls with eight fours but required just another 21 deliveries to post his fifth ODI century from 61 balls with 10 fours and four mighty sixes. Hendricks made the most of a last-minute call up to the starting XI to post a fluent 85 from just 75 balls to lay an important platform.
Rassie van der Dussen (60) and Aiden Markram (42) also contributed valuable runs against an England attack struggling with injury, illness and the debilitating heat and humidity and the finishing touches with the bat were applied by Marco Jansen who posted his maiden half century before finishing with a brutally destructive and career best 75* (3×4, 6×6) from only 42 balls.
All England bowlers were dispatched for runs, with Reece Topley (3/88), Gus Atkinson (2/60) and Adil Rashid (2/61) among wickets.
Both sides made changes to their line-up for this Cricket World Cup encounter in Mumbai. While regular South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma missed out due to an illness, England were boosted by the return of Ben Stokes.
England need 400 runs to win.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wkt), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram (captain), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
England:Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (captain & wkt), David Willey, Adil Rashid, Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, Reece Topley.