The key questions after England’s one-day series draw with South Africa

England continued their three-year undefeated run in bilateral one-day international series with a nervy two-wicket win over South Africa at Johannesburg.

In their first assignment since last year’s World Cup triumph, England tinkered with their line-up with a view towards the defence of their crown in 2023 and escaped with a 1-1 series draw against the Proteas.

Here, the PA news agency reflects on what has unfolded over the last week.

How did the series pan out?

What were the differences from the World Cup?

How did the new boys get on?

Banton flickered in making 18 at Cape Town and 32 at Johannesburg but the 21-year-old is still awaiting his first significant score for England, who perhaps undersold the big-hitting batsman by slotting him at six – he is used to opening. Lancashire leg-spinner Parkinson was ineffective at Newlands and Durban and was replaced by the more senior Adil Rashid at the Wanderers, where county team-mate Mahmood made his ODI bow and bowled immaculately in taking one for 17 in five overs in a sensational opening burst. He then strangely did not feature for the rest of the innings.

Anything else to report?

How important was the return of Moeen and Rashid in the final ODI?

Very. Rashid nursed a shoulder injury at last year’s World Cup but looked more like his old self at the Bullring after replacing Parkinson, going through his repertoire and bamboozling a number of Proteas batsmen. A return of three for 51 felt like scant reward – he could have had a five-for. His comeback to the ODI fold and that of Moeen, who took a tidy one for 42 before contributing 17 not out to help England creep over the line, proves there is no substitute for experience. Without the World Cup-winning spinners, England in all likelihood would not have squared the series.

How did everybody fare?

What’s next

South Africa v England, First Twenty20 at East London on Wednesday at 6pm local time (4pm GMT).