It was supposed to be a homecoming to remember for Harry Brook at Headingley, his Yorkshire stomping ground.
Instead, England endured a nightmare, suffering a humbling defeat at the hands of South Africa that left fans scratching their heads and shaking their fists.
Brook, now the permanent white-ball captain, admitted it was tough to watch.
“Honestly, nobody wants to come and watch a game like that,” Brook said, sympathizing with supporters who saw England crumble in front of them.
A Batting Collapse for the Ages
England’s innings fell apart spectacularly after Brook’s run-out.
His dismissal sparked a collapse of eight wickets for just 49 runs, and the visitors romped to victory by seven wickets before half the match’s overs were even bowled.
“A lot of teams would make excuses, but we’re not about making excuses,” Brook reflected.
“At the end of the day, that batting performance wasn’t good enough. Everybody will hold their hands up and say they weren’t good enough.
It was just a bad day. We have to put it behind us and focus on Lord’s.”
Debut From Hell for Sonny Baker
The defeat also marked a rough start for Hampshire fast bowler Sonny Baker.
The 22-year-old was dismissed first ball and ended with figures of 7-0-76-0, struggling against Aiden Markram in South Africa’s chase of 132.
“Everybody will get behind him,” Brook said of Baker, emphasizing the supportive nature of the squad despite the tough introduction.
Headingley Turns Into a Horror Show
England’s batting woes were compounded by the bizarre timing of their collapse.
The final seven wickets fell for just 29 runs on a surface that offered little excuse.
Meanwhile, Baker endured what could only be described as a debut from hell, defending a paltry 131.
The match had eerie echoes of past collapses, including the Karachi debacle six months ago that cost Jos Buttler his white-ball role and left England returning from the Champions Trophy in shame.
Brook was brought in to inject fresh direction, but the result showed the road ahead would not be easy.
Long-Term Challenges Loom
This 19th defeat in 26 ODIs underscores why England chose a full-strength squad for this series, despite it being so close to the Ashes.
Their long-term form leaves them vulnerable to a three-way battle with West Indies and Bangladesh for automatic World Cup qualification spots, making it difficult to rest key players before the five-Test tour of Australia in November.
While the 3-0 whitewash of the Windies provided some breathing room, returning to old habits in matches like this and upcoming fixtures in New Zealand could force England into pre-tournament qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup.
Scheduling Woes Add to Misery
England’s players faced an uphill battle even before stepping on the pitch.
Five players from Sunday’s Hundred final arrived in Leeds late Monday afternoon, missing essential pre-match practice. Yet Brook refused to shift blame.
“Rustiness was inevitable with the switch to 50-over cricket, but you wouldn’t have guessed that the seven batsmen had been playing at all recently—even in the Hundred,” he said, reflecting on the first defeat in his seven-match tenure.
Key Moments in the Collapse
Ironically, England’s struggles peaked around the 100-ball mark.
Jamie Smith, who fought hard for fluency and reached a 46-ball half-century, was out to a simple short ball from Wiaan Mulder.
Smith had also played a role in Brook’s run-out, which opened the floodgates for South Africa.
Even without Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s attack was clinical.
England were dismissed for their lowest ODI score in Leeds in over 50 years, dating back to the 1975 World Cup semi-final against Australia.
Baker Targeted as South Africa Clinches Victory
Baker was relentlessly punished by Markram, who reached a 50 in just 23 balls.
England’s attempts to curb the damage were unsuccessful, despite keeping faith in their debutant.
Joe Root initially thought he had Rickelton out for nought, only for the third umpire to rule otherwise.
Eventually, Smith and Adil Rashid claimed a few wickets, but it was too little, too late.
Heading to Lord’s with Questions
England now face a critical second match in London on Thursday, needing more than just late spin to convince fans they can right their white-ball ship.
Brook and his squad have plenty to reflect on—but the challenge is immediate: bounce back, restore confidence, and show that Headingley was an anomaly rather than a sign of things to come.