England vs South Africa, 1st Match Pitch Report - Match Overview & Playing XI | South Africa tour of England, 2025

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CFLL Staff

Published on

08 September 2025 | 12:58PM
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The ENG vs SA Live Score, 1st Match of the South Africa tour of England 2025, is set to be played on 10 September 2025 at 11:00 PM at the Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. This opening fixture marks the start of what promises to be an exciting bilateral series between two top-tier cricketing nations. Both teams are stacked with talent, and the contest is expected to set the tone for the rest of the series.


England head into the clash with a powerful batting lineup featuring a mix of aggressive openers and dependable middle-order players. Their all-rounders provide immense depth, allowing them to adapt to any situation, while their bowling attack blends pace and spin, making them well-rounded. Playing at home, they will look to exploit the conditions and start the series strongly.


South Africa arrive with a squad boasting explosive batters, impactful all-rounders, and one of the most lethal pace attacks in world cricket. Their middle order offers both flair and stability, while the all-rounders strengthen their lineup significantly. The Proteas’ bowling unit, featuring raw pace and variations, could be decisive in English conditions.


With both sides evenly matched in talent and firepower, the ENG vs SA Live Score promises fans a thrilling start to this much-anticipated series.

England vs South Africa, 1st Match Details

Series

South Africa tour of England, 2025

Match

England vs South Africa

Date & Time

10 September 2025, 11:00 PM

Venue

Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

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England vs South Africa, 1st Match Weather Condition

12:30 pm

Cloud

0%

Humidity

68%

Wind

26.6 km/h

19.1

o

Partly cloudy

Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

Sophia Gardens Pitch Report

Pitch Condition

--

Batting Condition

Average

Pace Bowling

Average

Spin Bowling

Average

Pace vs Spin on Venue

(Last 10 match)

The Sophia Gardens pitch is known for being slightly on the slower side compared to other English grounds, often favoring seamers early on due to the weather and conditions. The new ball tends to offer swing and seam, making the first powerplay crucial for both batters and bowlers. Spinners might also come into play in the middle overs as the surface tends to grip. Batters, however, who settle in can make good use of the shorter boundaries square of the wicket. A first-innings total of 280–300 in ODIs or 160–175 in T20s is generally competitive at this venue.

England Recent form

Last 5 Matches

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South Africa Recent form

Last 5 Matches

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Venue Scoring Pattern

Avg 1st Innings

153

X

145

Avg 2st Innings

Highest Total

207-3 by RSA vs ENG

X

89-10 by PAK vs ENG

Lowest Total

Highest Chased

194-7 by ENG vs AUS

X

111-7 by SL vs ENG

Lowest Defended

Matches Won
Batting First

2

18%
|
82%
Bowling First

9

England vs South Africa, 1st Match Squad

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England Probable XI :

Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Philip Salt, Tom Banton, Rehan Ahmed, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid

South Africa Probable XI :

David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Ryan Rickelton, Donovan Ferreira, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj

Conclusion

The ENG vs SA Live Score 1st Match is shaping up to be a high-stakes encounter as both teams aim to draw first blood in the series. England, with their home advantage and well-rounded squad, will look to dominate proceedings, while South Africa will rely on their explosive batting and world-class pace attack to challenge the hosts. Key battles such as England’s top order against South Africa’s fast bowlers and South Africa’s middle order against England’s spinners could decide the game. Fans can expect a fiercely contested match, with momentum in the series hinging on the outcome of this opening clash.