South Africa have taken the early advantage against England, as a successful spin squeeze bookended a robust display with the bat to set up a comfortable triumph.

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Rassie van der Dussen’s personal best of 134 and a brisk 77 from Aiden Markram propped up the Proteas, setting up a tall target of 334.

England were up against it from the very beginning, as a frugal opening spell from skipper Keshav Maharaj kept openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow under control.

Roy’s struggles continued, as he was incapable of finding his range for much of his innings. The return of Maharaj finally provided the first breakthrough despite a couple of dropped catches along the way.

The glimmering heat was proving to be very testing for the hosts, and an uncharacteristically more patient knock from Bairstow finally came to an end when part-timer Markram trapped him plumb in front.

The game remained in the balance for much of the first half of the chase, but the spin trio of Maharaj, Shamsi, and Markram did well not to give England any hitting room to release pressure.

Stokes was the next to depart, and his final ODI innings came to a rather tame and untimely end as he became Markram’s second LBW victim.

Joe Root did well to bat deep, but wickets falling at the other end didn’t do him any favours. The dangerous middle-order batters all fell fairly cheaply, and it was a matter of time until the ship would sink.

Speedster Anrich Nortje returned at the death to claim three lower-order wickets.

The Proteas sealed a 62-run win, courtesy the 4th and final wicket for Nortje.

SA 333/5 in 50 overs (van der Dussen 134, Markram 77 – Livingstone 4-0-30-2)

ENG 271 in 46.5 overs (Root 86, Bairstow 63 – Nortje 8.5-0-53-4)