South Africa opener Reeza Hendricks made light of his late call-up into the side with a fine 85 off 75 balls against England in a crunch ICC World Cup match in Mumbai on Saturday.

Hendricks was only in the team after captain Temba Bavuma was ruled out through illness.

But taking Bavuma's place at the top of the order, he responded with a 48-ball fifty including seven fours and a superb straight six off fast bowler Mark Wood.

South Africa, sent into bat by England captain Jos Buttler, were 4-1 when Quinton de Kock was caught behind off the second ball of the innings.

But Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen (60) turned the tide with a partnership of 121 that took the Proteas to 125-2.

Hendricks fell 15 runs short of a century, when he got deceived by a googly from Rashid Khan which crashed onto his stumps.

Both sides came into this game on the back of shock losses with South Africa beaten by non-Test nation the Netherlands and reigning champions England defeated by Afghanistan -- their second reverse in three games this World Cup.