England Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Timeline: Complete Rivalry History (1889–2026)
England and South Africa first played Test cricket in March 1889 at Port Elizabeth, making this one of the oldest bilateral rivalries in international cricket. Across 258 matches in all formats, England lead overall with 110 wins to South Africa’s 86. England dominate in Tests (66–35), while South Africa lead in ODIs (37–31) and T20Is (14–13). The England cricket team vs south africa national cricket team timeline stretches 137 years, through colonial tours, political boycotts, and modern white-ball cricket. The rivalry resumes with England’s Test tour of South Africa in December 2026.
England vs South Africa Cricket: Quick Rivalry Snapshot
The england cricket team vs south africa national cricket team timeline is one of cricket’s most layered and historically significant rivalries. Unlike other bilateral contests, this one was interrupted for 21 years by the apartheid ban- a fact that permanently shapes every statistic in this fixture. England’s commanding Test lead of 66–35 was almost entirely built before 1970. Since South Africa’s readmission in 1991, the Test record between both sides is near-equal. South Africa lead ODIs and T20Is, meaning in white-ball cricket, the Proteas hold the upper hand.
At a Glance
| Format | Total Matches | England Won | South Africa Won | Draw / NR / Tied |
| Tests | 156 | 66 | 35 | 55 drawn |
| ODIs | 74 | 31 | 37 | 1 tied, 5 NR |
| T20Is | 28 | 13 | 14 | 1 NR |
| Overall | 258 | 110 | 86 | 55 drawn, 1 tied, 6 NR |
Complete England vs South Africa Cricket Timeline (1889–2026)
The full England cricket team vs South Africa national cricket team timeline spans more than a century of Test cricket, interrupted by politics, defined by match-winners, and reset by format evolution. The England vs South Africa cricket timeline begins in 1889, covers 37 bilateral Test series, a 21-year apartheid-enforced ban, South Africa’s readmission in 1991, and a new Test series scheduled for December 2026.
| Year | Key Event |
| 1889 | First Test match, Port Elizabeth- England win by 8 wickets |
| 1895/96 | George Lohmann takes 15 wickets in a single Test at Cape Town |
| 1905/06 | South Africa win their first home Test series vs England, 4–1 |
| 1924 | South Africa win their first Test on English soil |
| 1935 | Wally Hammond scores 336* at Lord’s- record in the fixture at the time |
| 1965 | Final series before the ban, South Africa win in England |
| 1970 | South Africa banned from international cricket due to apartheid |
| 1991 | South Africa readmitted to international cricket |
| 1994 | First series since 1965, drawn 1–1, Atherton’s 185* saves Johannesburg Test |
| 1998 | South Africa win ODI series in England- not repeated until 2025 |
| 2003/04 | England win Test series in South Africa 2–1 under Nasser Hussain |
| 2012 | Hashim Amla scores 311* at The Oval, South Africa win series 2–0 |
| 2016 | Stokes and Bairstow’s world-record 399-run 6th-wicket stand at Cape Town |
| 2019 | England beat South Africa in World Cup opener, England win the tournament |
| 2024/25 | South Africa win Test series at home 2–1 |
| 2025 | South Africa win ODI series in England 2–1, England win 3rd ODI by 342 runs- largest winning margin in men’s ODI history |
| 2026/27 | England tour South Africa for three Tests from 17 December 2026 |
Why 1970 Is the Most Important Year in This Timeline
Read More: West Indies cricket team vs South Africa national cricket team timeline
The apartheid ban was not a footnote- it was the defining event of this entire rivalry. South Africa were excluded from international cricket for 21 years. Players like Barry Richards, Graeme Pollock, and Mike Procter- three of the finest cricketers of their generation- played a combined total of 43 Test matches. The statistical gap between England and South Africa in Tests reflects that absence more than any difference in quality.
Full Test Series History: Who Has Won More?
England have won 18 bilateral Test series against South Africa to South Africa’s 10, with 4 drawn. However, since readmission in 1991, both sides have won 6 series each- making it an equal contest in the modern era.
Test Series Results: Chronological
| Season | Venue | Series Result |
| 1889/90 | South Africa | England 2–0 |
| 1891/92 | South Africa | England 1–0 |
| 1895/96 | South Africa | England 3–0 |
| 1898/99 | South Africa | England 2–0 |
| 1905/06 | South Africa | South Africa 4–1 |
| 1907 | England | England 1–0 (2 drawn) |
| 1909/10 | South Africa | South Africa 3–2 |
| 1912 | England | England 3–0 |
| 1913/14 | South Africa | England 3–1 |
| 1922/23 | South Africa | England 2–1 |
| 1924 | England | England 3–0 |
| 1927/28 | South Africa | Draw 2–2 |
| 1929 | England | England 2–0 |
| 1930/31 | South Africa | South Africa 1–0 |
| 1935 | England | South Africa 1–0 |
| 1938/39 | South Africa | England 1–0 |
| 1947 | England | England 3–0 |
| 1948/49 | South Africa | England 2–0 |
| 1951 | England | England 3–1 |
| 1955 | England | England 3–2 |
| 1956/57 | South Africa | Draw 2–2 |
| 1960 | England | England 3–0 |
| 1964/65 | South Africa | England 1–0 |
| 1965 | England | South Africa 1–0 |
| — | — | APARTHEID BAN (1970–1991) |
| 1994 | England | Draw 1–1 |
| 1995/96 | South Africa | South Africa 1–0 |
| 1998 | England | England 2–1 |
| 1999/00 | South Africa | South Africa 2–1 |
| 2003 | England | Draw 2–2 |
| 2004/05 | South Africa | England 2–1 |
| 2008/09 | England | South Africa 2–1 |
| 2009/10 | South Africa | Draw 1–1 |
| 2012 | England | South Africa 2–0 |
| 2015/16 | South Africa | England 2–1 |
| 2017 | England | England 3–1 |
| 2019/20 | South Africa | South Africa 3–1 |
| 2022 | England | England 2–1 |
| 2024/25 | South Africa | South Africa 2–1 |
The common assumption is that England dominates this Test rivalry. In the 34 series played before 1970, England won 16 and South Africa won 6. In the 13 series since readmission, South Africa have won 6 and England have won 6– with one draw. The rivalry is structurally level in the modern era. The older numbers simply carry more weight in the headline stat.
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Test Match Batting and Bowling Records
The England vs South Africa test match history has produced some of the finest individual performances in cricket, from Wally Hammond’s pre-war dominance to Amla’s modern masterpiece. The highest individual score in England vs South Africa Tests is Hashim Amla‘s 311* at The Oval in 2012. The highest partnership is the 399-run 6th-wicket stand between Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow at Cape Town in 2016- also the world Test record for that wicket.
Highest Individual Test Scores in the Rivalry
| Score | Player | Country | Venue | Year |
| 311* | Hashim Amla | South Africa | The Oval | 2012 |
| 336* | Wally Hammond | England | Lord’s | 1935 |
| 243 | Eddie Paynter | England | Durban | 1938/39 |
| 154* | Graeme Smith | South Africa | Birmingham | 2003 |
Highest Partnerships in England vs South Africa Tests
| Runs | Wicket | Players | Country | Year |
| 399 | 6th | Ben Stokes / Jonny Bairstow | England | 2016 |
| 338 | 1st | Graeme Smith / Herschelle Gibbs | South Africa | 2003 |
| 260 | 1st | IJ Siedle / Bruce Mitchell | South Africa | 1930/31 |
| 259 | 2nd | Graeme Smith / Hashim Amla | South Africa | 2012 |
| 257 | 2nd | Graeme Smith / Gary Kirsten | South Africa | 2003 |
Stokes and Bairstow’s 399-run partnership at Cape Town is the highest 6th-wicket partnership in the history of Test cricket. It was not just a record within this rivalry- it stands as a world record across all Tests, across all opponents.
Most Runs in the Rivalry (Combined Formats)
Jacques Kallis leads all players in combined Test, ODI, and T20I run-scoring against England, appearing across 75 matches between 1995 and 2012. Kallis is the single most dominant batter in the history of this fixture. Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith follow in the all-format rankings.
ODI Records: South Africa’s Format
In the England vs South Africa odi head to head, South Africa lead 37–31- a consistent margin that reflects their white-ball batting depth over more than three decades. South Africa lead England in ODIs 37–31 from 74 matches. Jacques Kallis holds the record for most ODI runs against England with 1,054- the only player to cross 1,000 in this fixture. Darren Gough leads the bowling records with 51 wickets.
Most ODI Runs Against England (South Africa Batters)
| Player | Runs | Note |
| Jacques Kallis | 1,054 | Only player to cross 1,000 in this fixture |
| Hashim Amla | 976 | Highest ODI score: 150 (Southampton, 2012) |
| AB de Villiers | 862 | |
| Graeme Smith | 849 | |
| Quinton de Kock | 834 | |
| Joe Root (ENG) | 681 | Highest for England |
The top five ODI run-scorers in England vs South Africa history are all South African. This single fact explains more about the ODI head-to-head than any match-by-match analysis can.
Highest ODI Team Totals in the Fixture
| Score | Team | Venue | Year |
| 414/5 | England | Southampton | 2025 |
| 399/9 | England | Bloemfontein | 2016 |
| 354/6 | South Africa | Chester-le-Street | 2009 |
Biggest ODI Victories
| Margin | Winner | Year | Context |
| 342 runs | England | 2025 | Largest winning margin in men’s ODI history |
| 7 wickets | South Africa | 2025 | England bowled out for 131 in same series |
England’s 342-run win at Southampton is widely reported as a statement of England’s batting power. The overlooked reality is that South Africa’s 72 all out was their lowest ODI total against England- ever. The same South Africa batting lineup had scored 330/8 just five days earlier in the 2nd ODI. The 342-run win revealed a South African collapse, not just an England masterclass.
T20I Records: A Near-Level Contest
South Africa lead England in T20Is 14–13 from 28 matches- the most even format in the england cricket team vs south africa national cricket team timeline. South Africa lead England in T20Is 14–13. Phil Salt holds the highest individual T20I score in this fixture with 141* at Manchester in 2025. England’s 304/2 in the same match is their highest T20I total against South Africa.
T20I Notable Records
- Highest individual score: Phil Salt- 141* (Manchester, 2025)
- Highest team total: England- 304/2 (Manchester, 2025)
- Biggest T20I win by South Africa: 90 runs (Southampton, 2022, England 101 all out vs South Africa 191/5)
- Biggest T20I win by England: 146 runs (2025 series)
The Defining Matches in This Rivalry
Across the England vs South Africa cricket history, a handful of matches have shaped how both sides have approached this fixture.
The Atherton Stand- Johannesburg, 1995
Facing certain defeat, Mike Atherton batted for over ten hours, scoring 185 not out to save the Test for England. Allan Donald bowled fast and relentlessly throughout. It remains one of the most cited defensive Test innings ever played and the moment that announced the post-readmission rivalry had genuine teeth.
Hashim Amla’s 311*- The Oval, 2012
Amla faced 529 balls across 765 minutes. His 311 not out is the highest individual score in all England vs South Africa Tests and the highest ever by a South African in any Test match. South Africa made 637/2 declared and won the series 2–0, confirming their status as the world’s number one Test side at the time.
Stokes and Bairstow at Cape Town- 2016
England were 181/5 in their first innings, 124 runs behind. Stokes and Bairstow then added 399 runs for the 6th wicket- a world Test record for that wicket that still stands. England went on to win the match by 241 runs in a result that encapsulated what this rivalry does: produce the extraordinary when the stakes are highest.
The 2019 ICC World Cup Opener
England beat South Africa by 104 runs at The Oval. Ben Stokes’ running catch at backward point remains one of the most replayed moments in World Cup history. England won the tournament. South Africa were eliminated in the group stage. The draw of fixtures shapes tournaments, and this opening game proved it.
The 2025 ODI Series
Three matches. Three wildly different outcomes. South Africa won the match one by 7 wickets (England 131 all out). The second ODI was settled by 5 runs. England responded with 414/5 and a 342-run win- the largest margin of victory in the history of men’s ODI cricket. This series is the clearest modern encapsulation of what makes the England cricket team vs south africa national cricket team timeline so compelling: no result is predictable.
Complete Rivalry Records: Quick Reference
The key records in the England vs South Africa rivalry include Hashim Amla’s 311* (highest Test score), Jacques Kallis’s 1,054 ODI runs (most in the fixture), Stokes/Bairstow’s 399-run partnership (world 6th-wicket Test record), and England’s 342-run ODI win in 2025 (largest ODI winning margin in history).
| Record | Detail |
| Highest individual Test score | 311*- Hashim Amla, The Oval, 2012 |
| Highest team total (Tests) | 849/9d- England, The Oval, 1938 |
| Highest team total (ODIs) | 414/5- England, Southampton, 2025 |
| Highest partnership (Tests) | 399- Stokes/Bairstow (6th wkt), Cape Town, 2016 |
| Highest partnership (Tests, 1st wkt) | 338- Smith/Gibbs, Birmingham, 2003 |
| Most ODI runs | Jacques Kallis- 1,054 |
| Most ODI wickets | Darren Gough- 51 |
| Highest individual T20I score | 141*- Phil Salt, Manchester, 2025 |
| Biggest ODI win (by runs) | 342 runs- England, 2025 |
| Most Test series won (England) | 18 |
| Most Test series won (South Africa) | 10 |
| Series won each since 1991 | 6 each |
What’s Next: England Tour of South Africa 2026/27
The next chapter in the england cricket team vs south africa national cricket team timeline opens in December 2026, when England travel to South Africa for a three-match Test series and three-match ODI series. The Test schedule is as follows:
- 1st Test: 17–21 December 2026, Wanderers, Johannesburg
- 2nd Test: 26–30 December 2026, SuperSport Park, Centurion
- 3rd Test: 3–7 January 2027, Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa arrived in this series having won the 2024/25 Test series 2–1 on home soil and the 2025 ODI series in England 2–1. They have won three of the last four bilateral series between these sides across formats. England will need to reverse that momentum in South Africa’s home conditions- a task that has proven difficult in four of the last five tours.
FAQs:
Q1. When did England first play South Africa in Test cricket?
A1. England and South Africa played their first Test match in March 1889 at St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth. England won by 8 wickets. It marked South Africa’s entry into Test cricket and began one of the longest bilateral rivalries in the sport.
Q2. Who leads the overall England vs South Africa head-to-head?
A2. England lead overall with 110 wins to South Africa’s 86 from 258 matches. England lead in Tests (66–35). South Africa lead in ODIs (37–31) and T20Is (14–13).
Q3. Who has won the most Test series between England and South Africa?
A3. England have won 18 bilateral Test series to South Africa’s 10, with 4 series drawn. Since readmission in 1991, both sides have won exactly 6 Test series each.
Q4. What is the highest individual score in England vs South Africa Tests?
A4. Hashim Amla scored 311 not out at The Oval in 2012. It is the highest individual score in this rivalry and the highest ever by a South African batter in Test cricket.
Q5. Who has scored the most runs in England vs South Africa ODIs?
A5. Jacques Kallis scored 1,054 ODI runs against England- the only player in the history of this fixture to surpass 1,000 ODI runs. The top five run-scorers in this ODI fixture are all South African.
Q6. What is the largest winning margin in England vs South Africa cricket?
A6. England’s 342-run win in the 3rd ODI at Southampton in September 2025 is the largest margin of victory- and it also broke the record for the largest winning margin in the entire history of men’s ODI cricket.
Q7. What is South Africa’s biggest win against England?
A7. In T20Is, South Africa beat England by 90 runs at Southampton in 2022, dismissing England for 101. In Tests, South Africa’s largest win is by an innings and 196 runs.
Q8. What is the highest partnership in England vs South Africa Tests?
A8. Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow added 399 runs for the 6th wicket at Cape Town in 2016. This is both the highest partnership in this fixture and the world Test record for the 6th wicket.
Q9. Why was there a 21-year gap in England vs South Africa cricket?
A9. South Africa were excluded from international cricket in 1970 due to the apartheid policies of the South African government. They returned to international cricket in 1991 following political reforms. This gap permanently shaped the head-to-head statistics, particularly in Tests.
Q10. When is the next England vs South Africa Test series?
A10. England toured South Africa for a three-match Test series beginning 17 December 2026 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, followed by Tests at Centurion and Cape Town. A three-match ODI series follows in January 2027.
