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A day at Lord's for England v South Africa ODI cricket with private suite.
London
17°
Rain showers
Our best tips
English cricket season runs from May to September, but the weather remains gloriously unreliable. Layers are advisable, and sunscreen is worth packing for the longer days.
Smart casual is the standard for cricket hospitality. A collared shirt is recommended for gentlemen, though ties are seldom required. Ladies should dress for a relaxed but smart daytime event.
Getting you on track
Completely hands-off from start to finish
Tell us what you're after and we'll plan the rest. All you have to do is show up.
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Store all your event information, tickets, and contact details in one convenient place
Add personal touches to your trip
Make a request and our team will do everything they can to make it happen
An Imperial host walks the paddock with you. One person, one number, the whole weekend.
Pick the experience, pick the tier, pick the day. Your account manager handles the rest.
Getting around
Most UK venues are accessible by rail. Your ICE booking confirmation will include the nearest station and any shuttle services running on event day.
Taxis and ride-hailing services are widely available across UK cities. Your ICE events manager can arrange a private chauffeur if preferred.
Your ICE booking confirmation will include driving directions and parking information. Pre-booking parking is recommended for major events.
England and South Africa's ODI rivalry is shaped by a 21-year gap. Apartheid-era isolation kept the Proteas out of international cricket from 1970 to 1991, meaning the two sides never met in the format's early decades. When they finally did, the cricket was worth the wait. From the drama of the 1999 World Cup semi-final to modern-day run-fests at Lord's and The Oval, this fixture carries a weight that belies its relatively short history.
We changed the way we played one-day cricket. We went from being a team that was scared to lose to a team that wanted to win.
In a World Cup semi-final, anything can happen. We found that out the hard way.
Twenty-one years in the wilderness, then back in the middle.
After 21 years of international isolation due to apartheid, South Africa were readmitted to international cricket. Their first ODI came against India in Kolkata in November 1991. The return marked the beginning of a new era for the Proteas, who would quickly establish themselves as one of the most competitive sides in limited-overs cricket.
Thirty years of compelling cricket, and it all began with South Africa's first tour here since readmission.
South Africa toured England for the first time since readmission, and the two sides played their inaugural ODI series. England hosted the Proteas for three one-day internationals, with the visitors winning the series. It was the start of a fixture that would produce consistently compelling cricket over the next three decades.
One run needed, four balls remaining; somehow, South Africa still found a way to go home.
Edgbaston, 17 June 1999. South Africa needed one run from four balls to reach the World Cup final. Allan Donald was run out. The match tied, and South Africa were eliminated on net run rate. Lance Klusener had been devastating all tournament, but the final-over confusion between him and Donald remains one of cricket's most agonising moments. It defined the rivalry for a generation.
Gibbs at his peak was a powerplay nightmare for any attack; South Africa's golden generation made this tour entirely their own.
Graeme Smith's South Africa toured England and won the ODI series convincingly. The Proteas were in a golden period, with Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock, and Herschelle Gibbs all at their peak. Gibbs, in particular, was electric in the one-day format, capable of dismantling any bowling attack in the powerplay overs.
Four wins from five matches; England left South Africa with nothing to show for the tour.
The 2008 series saw England win 4-0 in a five-match ODI series at home, a comprehensive result that signalled a shift in the balance of power. Kevin Pietersen was in imperious form, and the English bowling attack, led by James Anderson and Stuart Broad, proved too much for the South African batting order. It was a statement series for a side building towards the 2011 World Cup.
Bowling to de Villiers in 2012 was less a tactical challenge than an exercise in damage limitation; the full 360 degrees were his.
By 2012, AB de Villiers had established himself as arguably the finest ODI batsman of his generation. His ability to score 360 degrees around the wicket made him almost impossible to bowl to. The series in England showcased his full repertoire, with South Africa's batting depth proving the difference. Hashim Amla's elegant accumulation at the top of the order provided the perfect foil for de Villiers' pyrotechnics.
From 2015's embarrassment to 2017's swagger; Morgan's England served notice that the old caution was gone for good.
Following their humiliating group-stage exit at the 2015 World Cup, England completely reinvented their white-ball approach under Eoin Morgan. The 2017 home series against South Africa was a showcase of this new aggression. England won the three-match series 2-1, with Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes embodying the fearless batting philosophy that would carry England to World Cup glory two years later.
Rain stole the opener, yet South Africa and England still found a way to split the series perfectly down the middle.
South Africa's 2022 tour of England included a three-match ODI series. The first ODI at Chester-le-Street was abandoned due to rain, before South Africa won the second at Old Trafford. England levelled at Headingley, leaving the series drawn 1-1. It was a competitive, closely fought contest that underlined how evenly matched these two sides remain in the 50-over format.
Two nations in transition, one rivalry with unfinished business.
South Africa return to England for an ODI series in 2025, with both sides in a period of transition. England are rebuilding their white-ball squad following the retirements of several 2019 World Cup heroes, while South Africa continue to develop exciting young talent. The series offers a chance to witness the next chapter of one of ODI cricket's most compelling rivalries at some of England's finest grounds.
