At a Wanderers Stadium painted prettily in pink, the Proteas and England played the third and final One Day International (ODI) on Sunday 9 February.

Festivities were at the forefront on the day, which is commonly known as Pink Day.

South Africa had won the first game by seven wickets in what was Quinton de Kock’s debut as the new ODI captain.

The second match was abandoned after torrential rains in Durban.

By losing Sunday’s ODI, the Proteas drew the series against the world champions.

It was a significant improvement from the pummelling they received in the Test series against the same opponents.

There were fears that the weather would have a say in the final ODI, after heavy rain wreaked havoc across Johannesburg on 8 February 2020.

Fortunately, the clouds cleared and the spectacle went ahead – the Bullring transformed into a cauldron of bubbling pink lava.

Performances by the award-winning Sho Madjozi and skydivers falling from the heavens were part of the entertainment.

The ever-present Gwijo Squad were there to lend their voices to the occasion.

“As Gwijo Squad, one of our key strengths is that we’re able to unite voices. And we’ve initially been using it to unite voices behind our national sport,” said Afika Selemani, 32, a member of the squad.

“Today we’re here uniting behind breast cancer awareness; to acknowledge the people who have been in the fight – those who have lost, those who have won and those who support them.” 

The event has grown exponentially, and has become a marquee day on the South African sports calendar. This was the ninth edition, with R5-million raised in the past five years for the Charlotte Maxeke Breast Care Clinic.

Spectator Mmatsatsi Mathebula, 39, who was attending a cricket match for the first time, told Daily Maverick, “I think… a day like this is to educate everybody who is not even informed about cancer itself. I would love for more people to know about this thing [cancer], and not just the ones that affect women, but men too. We must get checked out and cap this before it becomes worse.” 

On the field, the Proteas’ total of 256 proved insufficient by at least 40 runs. This was despite impressive knocks of 69 runs each by De Kock and David Miller.

England started off like a house on fire in response.

An opening blitz between Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow, who scored 61 runs off the first six overs, enabled England to score an imposing 77 for two in the opening power play.

This laid the foundation for the inevitable English victory, despite a fightback by the South African bowlers – led by Beuran Hendricks and Lungi Ngidi, who each picked up three scalps.

Both groups of fans joined up to sing and dance after the game.

De Kock was named man of the series as the leading run-scorer, including notching up a century and a half-century.

Focus now shifts to the three-match T20 series which begins on Wednesday 12 February in East London. DM