England Beaten By Sa In Rain-reduced Opening T20

First T20, Sophia Gardens

South Africa 97-5 (7.5 overs): Markram 28 (14); Wood 2-22

England 54-5 (5 overs): Buttler 25 (11); Jansen 2-18

South Africa won by 14 runs (DLS method)

Scorecard

England suffered a 14-run conclusion by South Africa successful a farcical rain-affected opening T20 astatine Cardiff.

A delayed commencement saw nan lucifer reduced to 9 overs per side, and nan Proteas blitzed 97-5 successful 7.5 overs earlier different rainfall disruption.

England's target was revised to 69 successful 5 overs, and pinch small prime but to onslaught from nan outset, they reached 43-5 needing 26 from 5 balls.

From there, nan recalled Sam Curran whacked a six to connection nan hosts a glimmer of hope, but nan visitors yet closed retired a comfortable triumph arsenic England vanished connected 54-5 pinch 2 wickets apiece for Corbin Bosch and Marco Jansen.

Jos Buttler had kept England live pinch 25 from 11, including 3 sixes, but they were near to rue top-order wickets arsenic Phil Salt was caught astatine good limb from nan first shot of nan chase, Jacob Bethell chipped to screen for 7 and skipper Harry Brook made a chaotic four-ball duck.

Earlier, Jofra Archer was replaced by Luke Wood successful a precocious change, and nan seamer removed Ryan Rickelton successful nan first complete earlier skipper Aiden Markram led nan complaint pinch 28 from 14 balls.

Dewald Brevis, who became nan SA20's astir costly player successful Tuesday's auction, made an entertaining 23 from 10 balls earlier he fell to nan recalled Curran's first shot while Donovan Ferreira vanished unbeaten pinch 25 from 11.

The three-match bid continues astatine Old Trafford connected Friday, wherever rainfall is besides forecast.

England chose not to consequence Archer connected nan sodden outfield, contempt nan accelerated bowler being named successful nan squad 24 hours earlier, and his replacement Wood besides removed Lhuan-dre Pretorius for two, though he was expensive, pinch 22 conceded from his 2 allocated overs.

Markram and Brevis past expertly targeted nan unsocial dimensions of nan Cardiff crushed pinch its short consecutive boundaries, taking down spinners Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson pinch flat, powerful sixes.

England were fortunate to not beryllium punished further by dropping Markram - he was put down by Salt connected 24 - arsenic he was caught by Wood disconnected Adil Rashid successful nan pursuing over.

After nan visitors reached 73 successful six overs, Brevis was furious to beryllium deceived by 1 of Curran's ultra-slow deliveries, clocked astatine conscionable complete 50mph, arsenic he skewed a drawback to backward point.

Tristan Stubbs played an audacious ramp for six which saw nan shot alert retired of nan ground, but tried and grounded a 2nd clip to beryllium bowled by Jamie Overton for 13.

But Ferreira vanished pinch his outrageous powerfulness which he perfected during Oval Invincibles' winning Hundred campaign, including a important six disconnected what proved to beryllium nan past shot of their innings.

Ultimately, it was a crippled from which England learned very little, particularly pinch nan bat wherever their only action was to travel retired swinging, needing a run-rate of much than 13 per complete from nan opening - it would person been nan highest successful five-over pursuit successful men's T20s.

Salt's miserable nighttime continued arsenic he fell to Kagiso Rabada's first shot and Bethell deed 1 six earlier departing 1 shot later.

Brook played and missed, attempted 2 ramp shots aft which he fell complete some times, earlier nicking down disconnected Bosch's mean pace.

Buttler played his ain ramps and scoops to perfection, again utilising nan shorter boundaries pinch 3 sixes, but Curran's 10 was nan 2nd highest contribution.

The erstwhile skipper was caught down from nan past shot of nan penultimate complete bowled by Jansen to all-but extremity England's hopes earlier Tom Banton fell for 5 a shot later.