Bethell's first ton sets up record England win over SA

Third one-day international, Southampton

England 414-5 (50 overs): Bethell 110, Root 100

South Africa 72 all out (20.5 overs): Bosch 20; Archer 4-18

England won by 342 runs; SA win series 2-1

Scorecard

Jacob Bethell scored his much-anticipated first professional century before Jofra Archer ripped through South Africa as England thrashed the Proteas by a record 342 runs in the third one-day international in Southampton.

With the series gone, 21-year-old Bethell, long tipped for a huge future despite despite his meagre county experience, delivered on all of his promise by elegantly hitting 110 from 82 balls in England's cruise to 414-5.

The left-hander put on 182 with Joe Root, who himself stroked a 96-ball 100, to lay a platform before Jos Buttler took on the scoring with a destructive 62 not out from 32 balls.

It was England's highest total in ODIs for three years and their best effort at home since 2018, while Bethell's ton, in his 33rd international innings, made him England's second-youngest ODI centurion after David Gower.

South Africa were well below the standards set in their impressive wins at Headingley and Lord's which had already secured the series with a game to spare.

They dropped Bethell on 44, gave away 19 wides and were 72-9 in 20.5 overs when the players shook hands with Temba Bavuma unable to bat - England's winning margin the largest in the history of men's ODIs in terms of runs.

Archer took four wickets in a fast and hostile new-ball spell, reducing the Proteas to 7-4 and 24-6 from which they never recovered. He finished with 4-18 and Adil Rashid 3-13.

Though the series was already gone, this was a morale-boosting win for England after a difficult run in the 50-over format.

The same sides now play a three-match T20 series starting on Wednesday in Cardiff.

As dead rubbers go, England could not have asked for more.

Yes, the thumping win is largely irrelevant but a breakout innings for a player the hierarchy rate so highly made it a near perfect afternoon.

Bethell's summer has been curious. Having given up his Test place by staying at the Indian Premier League, he has barely played. Before this match, he admitted he had made a mistake by playing so little cricket.

But rhythm that was relocated in scoring 58 at Lord's on Thursday was on full show again.

He was again promoted to number four to take on the world's top-ranked bowler, left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, and thrived with that responsibility and time.

An early straight six, one of three in his innings, against Maharaj settled Bethell into his work after which he pounced to pull anything short. One of those pulls was spilled by Nandre Burger at mid-on and there was also one top edge over the wicketkeeper but otherwise he stroked 16 eye-catching boundaries.

Bethell spent just four deliveries in the nineties but at no stage looked flustered.

He reached three figures by crashing through the covers and celebrated with his arms wide as the crowd cheered. This will surely be the first of many.

For all England were good, South Africa were similarly bad.

Before the Burger miss, Matthew Breetzke comically put down Jamie Smith on 23 when a leading edge from the opener, whose 62 put England on the front foot, looped to him at extra cover.

Afterwards, Root played the most Rootian of innings as the anchor.

He only hit two boundaries in reaching 50 and, though he did later hit one trademark reverse scoop, he largely accumulated. His dot ball percentage in reaching three figures was the second lowest in any of his 19 ODI tons.

Skipper Hary Brook bizarrely ran himself out after Bethell was stumped off Maharaj looking to continue the assault in the second half of the innings.

That only brought in Buttler, perfectly-timed for England in the 41st over, and he drove, ramped and pulled to provide a finale reminiscent of the hosts at their best.

In addition to the drop, Burger finished with 0-95 – the worst figures for South Africa in the format – while Codi Yusef's 0-80 were the most expensive by a Proteas debutant.

By the time they came to bat, South Africa looked a beaten side.

Aiden Markram nicked a wide delivery from Archer second ball and a sorry slide followed.

Archer's pace topped 93mph. He nicked off Ryan Rickelton, bounced out Breetzke, whose run of reaching fifty in each of his ODI innings ended at five as he made four, and had Tristan Stubbs taken at second slip.

At the end of his first seven overs he had remarkable figures of 4-10 and though he did not find a fifth when he returned in search of the final wicket, his burst provided another jolt of excitement now that he is back fully fit.