The first ODI Between England and South Africa at Headingely. Image: Danny Lawson/PA.
(The Post News)– Micheal Atherton issued a stern warning to England, urging them to “wake up fast” and recalibrate both mentally and tactically. He emphasized that their lack of preparation and inability to transition from franchise cricket to the international stage is already putting their hopes of winning the ODI series at serious risk.
England, who had made a decent start to their innings at 82-2, suffered a dramatic and unexpected collapse, losing their remaining eight wickets for just 49 runs. The entire team was bowled out for 131 in only 24.3 overs. South Africa, showing far more cohesion and discipline, chased down the target comfortably and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Atherton Highlights The Hundred as a Factor in England’s Performance
Atherton pointed to the tight scheduling of The Hundred, which concluded just two days before the ODI, as a major factor behind England’s disjointed performance. Many of England’s players were involved in The Hundred eliminator and final just over the weekend and arrived at Headingley with minimal rest and no real opportunity to adjust to the 50-over format.
“England, without a doubt, came into this match cold,” he told Sky Sports. “South Africa looked like a team that’s been playing consistent, high-quality international cricket, while England’s players turned up at Headingley in dribs and drabs after spending a month in a completely different format. They had no proper time to prepare, and it showed.”
He stressed that the shift from the Hundred to 50-over cricket is not just about physical adjustment but also about mindset, strategy, and rhythm. “International cricket is played at a different level of intensity, and that difference becomes very clear when you’re not fully switched on,” he said. “Sonny Baker experienced that firsthand today. And 50-over cricket brings its own unique challenges. It’s not T20, it’s not Test cricket; it’s about managing tempo, setting a pace, and sustaining it.”
Atherton elaborated further on the nature of the team’s batting collapse, calling it both puzzling and avoidable. “I don’t think they were reckless at the start. There were no warning signs during the power play. In fact, they were off to a fairly promising start,” he explained. “But 50-over cricket requires a middle ground. You can’t go full throttle like in a T20 or The Hundred, and you can’t slow it down to Test-match speeds. There’s a particular tempo you need to find a cruising speed, and England just never got there.”
He described the collapse as “curious” and “calamitous,” particularly because the pitch wasn’t offering much assistance to the bowlers. “Conditions were good for batting; the pitch wasn’t spinning or misbehaving. There really wasn’t anything on the surface that justified a collapse like that,” he noted.
Looking ahead, he warned that his team must act quickly if they hope to turn the series around. With two more ODIs and a T20 series still to come, he said the team has little time to regroup and adapt.
“This match was a wake-up call. We can’t afford to sleepwalk through this series. They’ve got to shake off the effects of The Hundred, get mentally and physically aligned with the demands of 50-over cricket, and start performing like an international side again,” he concluded. “Because right now, they’re off the pace, and they need to fix that immediately.”
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