Despite a 70 from Jason Roy and 52 from Eoin Morgan, Lungi Ngidi produced some inspired death bowling to snatch victory for South Africa
Related: Lungi Ngidi stalls England charge to win thrilling first T20 international
See you all again on Friday? After that, how could you not want to be all-in on this series? It’ll be back to Kingsmead in Durban for that fixture, the second of three T20s. I’ll be with you again for the OBO. Until then, thanks for your company. Bye!
England lost 6/24. 6/24! I didn’t compute that collapse at the end because the runs, for the most part, were still coming. What a dramatic finish. What a game.
That's gotta be the most enthralling T20 International I've seen. There have been more runs and crazier finishes, but for shifts of momentum (sorry) and death bowling... tremendous entertainment. #SAvENG
Ngidi the hero. He finishes with 3/30 but forget about the figures. He gave up just ten runs from the 18th and 20th overs, landing offcutter after offcutter after offcutter. The big man is BACK IN BUSINESS! What an extraordinary finish. To think that with seven balls to go, England needed seven to win with Morgan having hammered 14 runs from the previous three balls and still on strike. But holing out that ball, it gave South Africa the glimmer of hope they required with Ngidi on the tools and he did not disappoint. The turning point was Roy’s downfall, an ugly dismissal after smashing a faultless 70. With Morgan by his side, they were in complete cruise control. But just as it was in the South African innings, the death bowling defined the final few overs rather than the batting.
WHAT A GAME! WHAT A VICTORY! Rashid hacks the slower ball to midwicket but doesn’t get enough of it, Steyn getting the throw in safely for de Kock to take the bails. South Africa win one of the best T20 Internationals ever staged.
BOWLED HIM! Off stump bent back! Ngidi has been TREMENDOUS at the death. Moeen swung at yet another off-cutter and was beaten in flight. Three runs needed from the last ball; two for a Super Over. Adil Rashid to face it!
NOT OUT! He hit it. So, those runs go to Moeen. Three needed from two balls!
REVIEW! Is Moeen LBW? de Kock sends it upstairs. Ngidi liked it. They came back for a couple of leg byes. Upstairs we go!
DOT BALL! Moeen swings and misses at the off-cutter. Five needed from three. A super slower ball. What a spell this has been. Five off three needed.
WHAT A GAME THIS IS! Curran hacks a couple to square leg from the first ball but launches the slower ball hiiiiigh into the night sky from the second. Hitting against the strong wind, the ball lands safely with Miller on the midwicket rope! Five runs needed from four balls as Chris Jordan walks out to join Moeen. They crossed, so it will be the more experienced man on strike. Find a telly!
Morgan holes out to long on! But so much happened before, the captain smacking two boundaries and a big six to just about finish the job. But Hendricks gets the last laugh, albeit after the front line is looked at time and time again by the third umpire before the captain departs. The end of a superb innings, 52 from 34, leaving England seven runs from the final over. But he won’t be there for it.
Now, back to the start of that crazy old over...
18th over: England 155-5 (Morgan 37, Moeen 2) Target 178 This was all so very much in hand for England with Roy and Morgan ticking over doing largely as they pleased. Not now! Moeen is off the mark with a nice square drive for a couple to finish the outstanding Ngidi over, but just five runs were earned from it. He’ll definitely be responsible for over No20. England need 23 from 12 balls. Whisper it... Super Over? Nobody tell my 40-week pregnant partner.
There it is! Ngidi, after sending down three excellent deliveries, wins a mistake from Stokes with another slower ball. At just 115kph, the all-rounder had to make all the pace and drilled a catch down the throat of Miller at long-on.
17th over: England 150-4 (Morgan 35, Stokes 3) Target 178 Hendricks has a big job from his 12 balls at this end. But Morgan, with all his experience, knows the best way to mess with that is to take him on and does it with power, waiting for the slower ball to arrive and slapping it straight back over his head for four. He has the strike back for the final delivery of the set - will the captain go again? Of course he does! It’s a second boundary to complete the over, this time hooking carefully over his shoulder to the fine leg rope. 11 off it makes England’s equation 28 from 18.
16th over: England 139-4 (Morgan 26, Stokes 1) Target 178 Stokes off the mark down the ground to keep the strike. Five runs and the wicket from Phehlukwayo’s over, the all-rounder finishing with 2/32 from his four. Ngidi for the death overs?
Well, then! Denly charges at Phehlukwayo and slaps a catch straight to the sweeper at deep midwicket. Great modern cricket, the slower one doing the trick. Yes, Stokes is walking out to join Morgan - the perfect pair for this - but they still have a fair bit of work to do here. Game on, just about.
15th over: England 134-3 (Morgan 24, Denly 1) Target 178 With Hendricks, despite being in the team as a specialist seamer, the best he can hope for is bowling overs 15, 17 and 19. Odd captaincy. Of course, he took a five-for on Test debut just a few weeks ago, so his confidence will be up. As for England, they have made a change to their batting order, Honest Joe Denly walking to the middle instead of Stokes in order to retain the right/left combination. He’s off the mark first ball but wears a short one to finish, smashing him in the shoulder. Excellent stuff. Before Roy fell, he hammered the left-armer away for four through midwicket, so they still end up with six off the over. It leaves the visitors 44 to get from the final five overs.
How’s he managed that? Hendricks, finally into the attack, bowls a slower ball bouncer waaay outside the off-stump and Roy tries to pull it over square leg. Instead, a top edge ends up in the hands of Ngidi at short fine leg. A flicker of hope for the home side with the superstar opener on his way after 70 in 38 balls.
14th over: England 128-2 (Roy 66, Morgan 23) Target 178 Shamsi beats Morgan on the cut with the first ball of his final over. David Lloyd is a tad critical of the spinner on telly for not calling upon any delivery apart from his legbreak. It’s that stock ball beating Roy’s inside edge, the bowler up for an enthusiastic lbw appeal, but it is turned down and de Kock doesn’t deem it worthy of a review. One left in his spell and Morgan backs himself in off the back foot, muscling a long hop through midwicket for four! Eight off it, leaving 50 from 36 balls. Spot on.
13th over: England 120-2 (Roy 65, Morgan 17) Target 178 Right, so QdK throws the ball to Steyn, this his fourth and final over. It’s a big call and the hosts need it to pay off but it doesn’t, Roy instead picking up from where he left off against the higher pace, clipping expertly through midwicket for four. What timing. England need 58 to win from 42 balls with two set men in the middle. They’re one big over away from this being game over. The Proteas, by contrast, have to remove both of them in the next ten minutes or so. Steyn finishes with 1/33 in his comeback game.
12th over: England 113-2 (Roy 60, Morgan 15) Target 178 Shamsi is giving it plenty of air and enough of a rip to beat Morgan’s outside edge. Given the threat he poses, they are happy enough collecting singles, including a quick one to cover from the last ball. Both sides were 113 after 12 overs but South Africa had a shocker towards the end. England should really do this easy with the required rate at 8.3 an over.
11th over: England 107-2 (Roy 56, Morgan 13) Target 178 Phehlukwayo looks the man most likely to Roy, with pace off the ball banging it in halfway. But Morgan doesn’t mind, carving hard behind point and getting four for it. Yes, it wasn’t far from Bavuma’s diving right hand but he hit the cover of it. And the skipper goes again to finish, helping a very poor delivery outside the leg stump down past the man at short fine leg away for a second boundary. A handy moment for a big over.
10th over: England 95-2 (Roy 54, Morgan 3) Target 178 Evidently Morgan was also wearing the lighter blue pads in the ODIs. What a guy! This is leadership. Like the old MCC tours when they would wear any number of different bits of kit when representing England. Shamsi, meanwhile, sends an over down without a boundary. That’s two on the trot for the home side. Now they need wickets.
9th over: England 92-2 (Roy 53, Morgan 1) Target 178 Morgan is off the mark first ball with a single, the one delivery left in the successful over. Technology shows that Bairstow was right not to review as it was clipping leg stump. Far more importantly: has anyone seen the pads Eoin Morgan is batting in? He’s gone rogue!
The all-rounder slips past Bairstow’s inside edge and the big appeal is successful! He was a long way across to the legside but they elect not to review.
8th over: England 87-1 (Roy 51, Bairstow 21) Target 178 Shamsi on for his first over of wrist spin with a vital role to play with England currently cruising towards their target. He has to slow this down with wickets and fast. Oh, and he nearly does get Roy’s too, a top edge to a reverse sweep looping over the head of de Kock but there’s nobody there on the circle. YJB has an unsuccessful swipe too, lucky to get an inside edge on a delivery that would have cleaned him up. But Roy ensures the visitors finish with a bang, slapping another boundary past squre leg. To 50 he goes with that fifth four, along with three sixes. Hitting doesn’t get much better.
7th over: England 78-1 (Roy 45, Bairstow 18) Target 178 Phehlukwayo is into the attack with his nagging little medium pacers and slower balls. With the field out, YJB takes on the sweeper van der Dussen at deep backward point, making his ground by inches after an accurate throw. Super cricket from all involved. It’s a timely tidy over until the last ball, Roy getting down on one knee to hoick it over fine leg for four. He has his 45 from 19 balls, in case you were wondering.
6th over: England 68-1 (Roy 39, Bairstow 14) Target 178 Making room for himself, Roy hits Ngidi’s first ball for SIX MORE straight over his head! To prove that he’s more than muscle alone, the Surrey superstar then gets onto the front foot and clips past midwicket, beating the man inside the ring for four more. To the final delivery of the power play... surely he swings at it, surely he swings at it... nup, he takes the single behind square, Ngidi’s slower ball on the mark. South Africa were also 68/1 at the end of their power play - nice. England need just on 8RPO to win.
5th over: England 55-1 (Roy 27, Bairstow 13) Target 178 Sorry about the delay on the previous post, wifi issues, but I’m sure if you are an England fan you will have enjoyed what you read. Bairstow wants to go with his ODI partner and does just that to begin, twice steering Steyn behind point for four to begin. Such good batting from England. They end up with ten off it. Your turn again, Jase. Have fun!
4th over: England 45-1 (Roy 26, Bairstow 4) Target 178 Roy has spent most of the innings watching so far so he makes the most of the strike, having a big old pop at the spin of Smuts second ball. It just goes the journey, Miller able to take the catch at long-off but he’s already over the rope. Of course, Roy goes again... it’s nowhere near as convincing but in the power play, after clearing extra cover, still worth four runs. AND AGAIN! This is by far the best of the three, stand and deliver over long-off for SIX! It smashes into the commentary box. Magnificent. Again? Naturally! Down the ground, hammered past the spinner for four more. Whoa. A couple behind square to finish makes 22 from the over. Welcome, Jason!
4th over: England 23-1 (Roy 4, Bairstow 4) Target 178 Roy has spent most of the innings watching so far so he makes the most of the strike, having a big old pop at the spin of Smuts second ball. It just goes the journey, Miller able to take the catch at long-off but he’s already over the rope. Of course, Roy goes again... it’s nowhere near as convincing but in the power play, after clearing extra cover, still worth four runs. AND AGAIN! This is by far the best of the three, stand and deliver over long-off for SIX! It smashes into the commentary box. Magnificent. Again? Naturally! Down the ground, hammered past the spinner for four more. Whoa. A couple behind square to finish makes 22 from the over. Welcome, Jason!
3rd over: England 23-1 (Roy 4, Bairstow 4) Target 178 In comes Jonny Bairstow at number three and he has to keep a beauty out to begin, a slower ball that lands right on a yorker length. Steyn stays on the mark until the final ball when he gives YJB a chance to get off the mark with a loose ball on the pads, flicked away for four behind the man stationed at short fine leg. Still, the end of a successful over.
Steyn gets him! Buttler tried to slap him over cover but didn’t get much of it at all, giving the easiest of chances to Miller on the circle at mid-off. A big moment.
2nd over: England 18-0 (Roy 3, Buttler 15) Target 178 Bit of a philosophical debate going on with Buttler at the moment as England move towards the T20 World Cup: bat him up top or during the toughest period at the death? A good piece here breaking that down by Ben Jones over at the Cricviz factory. Ngidi keeps him quiet with three quality dots to start this over before the vice-captain again jumps across his stumps to take a couple through midwicket to keep the board ticking. Ohhh, that’s more like it to finish... a fearsome pull shot to the rope. The sound it made off the bat! Blimey! Nobody was stopping that. Klusener-esque. Seven off it.
Jos Buttler is the best English T20 batsman. For some, that means he should face as many balls as possible; for others, it means he should bat during the hardest phases.
A piece on how the use of Jos will define England's identity at the World Cup: https://t.co/x3rNTtBSnZpic.twitter.com/2blR0cv5OU
1st over: England 11-0 (Roy 2, Buttler 9) Target 178 Both openers are off the mark with singles to begin, Steyn immediately up over 140kph. “Gee,” Mike Haysman swoons on the telly, “he has such lovely rhythm.” Too right he does. Oh, what a shot from Buttler, a gloriously timed square drive through point without an inch of footwork. Bolstered with confidence after that stroke, he shuffles across to whip the great fast bowler over midwicket for four more. There’s a bit of confusion to finish with a single ultimately not taken but they are safely back in their ground.
The players are back on the field. Steyn it is. 36 years of age; an absurd record. He hasn’t played for South Africa for a nearly a year but here he is. What a guy. PLAY!
Steyn v Roy? Or spin from the get-go? England threw the ball to Moeen first up, I wouldn’t be surprised if de Kock does something similar, especially with the wind. The risk, of course, is that Buttler takes full advantage of that with the field up.
Fair old comeback that. South Africa were flying at 105/1 at the halfway mark, well on their way to 200-220. But the visitors took 7/72 from the second half of the innings, now left 8.9 an over to take this opening rubber. Rashid and Moeen were spot on with their spin, both going at less than a run a ball. Stokes and Wood played their part with wickets at important times before Jordan delivered a quite outstanding death over. Bavuma top scored with 43 off 27 and five other South Africans got a good start but the wickets did the job slowing the run rate.
Steyn deals nicely with the hat-trick delivery, helping a ball on his pads past the man at short fine leg and down to the rope. With a slap from the next, he’s off strike. Phehlukwayo’s turn with two balls to go - can he get underneath one? Not from the fifth delivery he doesn’t, unable to get another magnificent Jordan yorker away. What a bowler this bloke is. Righto, final ball of the innings... and nailed the yorker again! They run anyway, Phehlukwayo is run out at the non-stikers’ end. Three wickets and five runs from the 20th over. Brilliant. England need 178 to win.
20th over: South Africa 177-8 (Steyn 5)
EVEN BETTER! Jordan skittles him first ball with the perfect delivery, shaping away a treat. Off-stump is cartwheeling once more. And he’s on a hat-trick.
Bowled! Swing and a miss, off-stump out of the ground. Perfect death bowling.
19th over: South Africa 172-5 (Phehlukwayo 18, Pretorius 1) What a great call from Morgan throwing the ball back to Wood after he was smashed to all parts earlier on. It’s worked a treat, his speedster getting him a wicket and going for just three runs. Job done. Now, they’re some chance of keeping South Africa under 180.
Morgan needed Wood to find him a wicket to get a new player out there and he’s done precisely that, a leading edge from Smuts carrying to Stokes at mid-off.
18th over: South Africa 169-4 (Smuts 20, Phehlukwayo 16) BIIIIG from Phehlukwayo! Jordan went for his shorter slower ball off-cutter but the left-hander saw it coming, rocking back into his crease before popping him 50 metres over the boundary. Have that. Sure enough, Jordan is right on the money either side of this with his fuller balls, deceiving Smuts then beating Phehlukwayo. A good contest, nine coming from the over. South Africa still have to find a way to 190-plus.
“Hi Adam.” Hello, Jon Salisbury. “Roy’s fielding seems to mirror his batting- blinding catches or pretty ordinary misses with concentration AWOL a feature.”
17th over: South Africa 160-4 (Smuts 19, Phehlukwayo 8) Stokes followed a very good over with a not very good one, giving Smuts a delivery to swing at through square leg for four before overstepping - a sin at this stage of a T20. Phehlukwayo doesn’t take full advantage of the free hit but they still finish with 12 from the set.
“Evening Adam.” Simon McMahon, hello to you. “I think the sponsors are missing a trick by not having one team in white, the other black, with string ties in national colours, and goatee beards all round. Let’s hope the game is a zinger, eh?”
16th over: South Africa 148-4 (Smuts 11, Phehlukwayo 7) Phehlukwayo knows the drill here, making room first ball to swing hard at Curran and getting plenty of it, over long-off for SIX! He hits a wonderful long ball. Smuts’ turn, jumping well outside the leg stump before slapping another slower one through midwicket into the gap - four more. So, after losing a wicket first up they get 13 from it. Top stuff.
There it is, the Tom Curran Slower Ball working for England. Miller tried to lift him over the rope at long-off but was early on it. Jordan didn’t miss his chance to make a proper gem of catch look easy when running back with the flight of the ball.
15th over: South Africa 135-3 (Miller 16, Smuts 5) Stokes mixes up his lengths and pace well enough to prevent either batsman from getting a proper swing in. Morgan will happily take seven from the over at this stage. Between overs, the host broadcaster cuts to an interview inside a KFC container. As you do.
♂️ #SAvENGpic.twitter.com/97JvtVVykO
14th over: South Africa 128-3 (Miller 13, Smuts 2) Rashid’s turn to stick the landing and he’s so close to doing so when Smuts skies him waaaay into the sky but Roy can’t complete the catch. By the standards these fielders keep in short-form cricket, that wasn’t a difficult chance. Earlier in the over, Miller deployed his reverse sweep and struck it just well enough to record a boundary. Another compelling leg before shout to finish to Smuts... denied! Gosh, it looks very out on the TV replay; that failed review earlier on really has hurt England. Rashid finishes with 1/23 from his four overs. Beautifully done. He dragged this right back.
13th over: South Africa 118-3 (Miller 5, Smuts 1) This has been far from a perfect fielding performance from England, Roy fumbling after diving this time around, but the slow bowling has been excellent. Just five from Moeen here, all in coins rather than notes, giving him figures of 1/22 from his four overs.
12th over: South Africa 113-3 (Miller 1, Smuts 0) How often do we say it? Outstanding from Rashid. Three balls to Smuts, three hard-spun wrong’uns and three dots in the book. Two runs and a wicket from the over. They’re in this now.
Caught at short fine! Bavuma tried to beat Moeen but he picked out that fielder instead when taking his bottom hand off the blade. He was dropped earlier in the over by Denly at deep square leg - a very tough chance - but they don’t pay for it.
11th over: South Africa 111-2 (Bavuma 37, Miller 0) Earlier, Bavuma welcomed Stokes to the bowling crease with a delightful inside-out cover drive for four but he gets out of the over with a wicket and conceding just six. A captain’s dream.
No reprieve this time, RvdD miscuing a pull shot off Stokes, taken nicely by Bairstow running in from the rope at backward square. They really needed that.
10th over: South Africa 105-1 (Bavuma 37, van der Dussen 30) I had started writing a sentence before the DRS projection declaring it a Hall of Fame hideous review. As it happens, he was almost certainly out to Rashid’s wrong’un earlier in the over but Morgan blew his referral during the power play on a poor challenge. Play on!
NOT OUT! What?! He’s missed a full toss that has hit him in line with middle stump. Yet the DRS has it missing leg stump.
REVIEW! Is van der Dussen leg before to Rashid? The umpire says yes with the full toss missed but Rassie wants another look. Stand by.
9th over: South Africa 97-1 (Bavuma 36, van der Dussen 25) Tom Curran is back, the man who went for squillions during his first over when de Kock was firing. The re-start isn’t much better, missing down the legside for a wide then tickled fine of the man on the 45 for a boundary. Lovely touch, Rassie. He then turns one into two from the next, via a clip to midwicket. Ohhh, Bavuma is into it too, scooping Curran over Buttler’s head for four. The foundation is laid for a 200-220.
8th over: South Africa 84-1 (Bavuma 31, van der Dussen 18) Adil Rashid, welcome to the bowling crease. In his one opportunity during the ODIs the veteran leggie was outstanding. It doesn’t take him long to land his wrong’un here, prompting a bit shout for leg before, but it is turned down and England have lost their review. Excellent over, played with respect. That’s what years of quality service earns you.
7th over: South Africa 77-1 (Bavuma 27, van der Dussen 16) In the context of what has gone so far, Wood giving away nine here looks a decent outcome. He’s bowling fast but that suits Bavuma, who finds the square leg gap with a tidy tuck for four.
“Hi Adam.” Hi, Graeme Thorn. “Why is Colonel Sanders at the toss? Is this series sponsored?” You better believe it. The old man is everywhere at Buffalo Park.
6th over: South Africa 68-1 (Bavuma 20, van der Dussen 14) Before the failed shout, cricket twitter went into a tailspin when Denly allowed a ball through through his legs at square leg, gifting Rassie a boundary. Later, the big No3 made room for himself to swing at Jordan and got just enough of it to sail for SIX over deep midwicket. Range hitting, they call that. So, 14 from it - a power play of 68.
NOT OUT! No, it is most very much not. Indeed, he’s RvdD middled it. There were two noises with bat also hitting pad, but England’s review is burned on a bad one.
IS VAN DER DUSSEN TRAPPED LBW BY JORDAN? Eoin Morgan believes so. Was it pad before bat? Stand by for the review.
5th over: South Africa 54-1 (Bavuma 19, van der Dussen 1) Just what England needed. After the wicket, Moeen kept Big Rassie quiet for a couple of deliveries before getting off the mark. Bavuma added to that with four on the sweep - a very nice shot - but six off the over and de Kock’s scalp will be fine with Eoin Morgan.
Miscued and gone! de Kock tried to continue where they left off in the previous over but failed to middle Moeen over midwicket, the catch instead landing safely with Denly running running in from the rope at long-on.
4th over: South Africa 48-0 (Bavuma 14, de Kock 31) Whoa, Mark Wood is very luckynot to be taken out of the attack by the umpires after just two deliveries. Right, so his first ball of the night is a chest-high full toss, which de Kock is savvy enough to somehow get away for four despite taking evasive action at the time. Next up? Another full toss on the height of his hip. The captain cleared the rope at square leg for SIX - no issues there - but it could easily have been called as a second no-ball. In those circumstances, it ends the bowlers’ day there and then. Good news for England is that their quick now finds his length but it doesn’t bother Bavuma, who twice takes him through the legside for hard-run twos before picking the gap at midwicket to finish, whipped away for a classy boundary. 20 from the over, with 36 of those coming in the last three. They’re off to a flyer.
3rd over: South Africa 28-0 (Bavuma 6, de Kock 20) “Two,” calls de Kock as he pushes to mid-wicket, getting back easily. Bavuma gets his first turn for a while later in the over, sweeping two over short fine leg, then driving a couple more through cover. Byes now as well, two of those too, when Buttler fails to glove a ball that Bavuma missed. Moeen gets out of the set with nine taken from it.
2nd over: South Africa 19-0 (Bavuma 2, de Kock 17) It’s Curran the Elder to begin from the other end, which was typically the option Morgan went for in New Zealand during the power play overs. de Kock flays the first but straight to cover. He uses his feet to the next, lifting the seamer over mid-on for four - just clear of Chris Jordan. If anyone was going to bring it down from the air it was him. The captain goes again down the ground, lifting him over mid-off for four more. Shot. Ooooh, and againfor SIX, hitting with the wind after getting to the pitch, depositing him inside-out over cover onto the grass bank. He keeps the strike behind square, making 15 from the over. They’re away in style. Lovely striking.
1st over: South Africa 4-0 (Bavuma 2, de Kock 2) Bavuma is off the mark first ball with a single to midwicket, de Kock doing the same. The TV tells me that the last time Moeen opened for England in a T20 was way back in 2014; it must have something to do with the howling wind that those at the ground have been talking about, trying to get them hitting against it. Another single to midwicket for the righthander, and one to the captain behind square. Bavuma has a pop at the final delivery well outside the off-stump but doesn’t get any of it. Top start for England.
The players are on the field. Moeen Ali is opening the bowling with off-spin for England with Bavuma taking the first ball for the hosts. PLAY!
“Afternoon Adam.” And to you, Adam Giles (no, not that one, if you’re reading this in Australia). “It’s a good move to bowl first with the destructive nature of this batting lineup, puts a lot of subconscious pressure on the opposition batsmen. England can comfortably hit 200+ on a good day (and I understand the boundaries aren’t the longest at Buffalo Park), so teams end up doubting their current run rate and occasionally push too hard to set what they perceive as an unreachable target, losing wickets in the process. Will be very interesting to see if Jordan and T. Curran can take advantage of this to follow on their strong form from the BBL.”
Yup. I also found it interesting that Morgan was happy to cite the lack of data on the ground as a major input as to why he is bowling. This is the modern game.
A lot of people are very cross that Joe Denly is still playing for England. In turn, I hope he makes a ton. But that probably says more about me than them.
Dawid Malan left out of the England XI, which will surprise some. In 2019, he played 34 T20s, making 1245 runs at a scoring rate of 8.53rpo, dismissed every 30.1 balls. He can feel unlucky to not be included today. #SAvENG
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (c & wk), Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, JJ Smuts, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Beuran Hendricks, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Lungi Ngidi.
Very good on paper.
England: Jason Roy, Jos Buttler (wk), Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan (c), Ben Stokes, Joe Denly, Moeen Ali, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Chris Jordan, Mark Wood.
Right, so confirmation that Dawid Malan has been dropped. Wow. He has a fantastic T20I record, averaging 57. There’s an early talking point for you.
“Runs on the board are always key,” says de Kock about being asked to bat in the windy conditions. Steyn is definitely playing and Bavuma will open with the skipper. Pretorius is back into the South African team as their seaming all-rounder.
“The wicket looks really good and there is a howling wind. There is not a lot of data about games that are played here.” That’s why Morgan wants them to chase.
He confirms that Buttler, Wood and Stokes are all playing. Full teams shortly.
Buffalo Park looks a top spot for some Wednesday evening cricket.
Lovely day in East London as England take their first step on the road to this year’s T20 World Cup in Australia pic.twitter.com/Gtajn4rDNz
England are wearing black armbands. This is in memory of Steve James’ daughter, Bethan, who passed away on Saturday night. Steve is a former Test cricketer, a deeply respected member of the press pack and a former member of The Guardian parish. The cricketing world is thinking of his family at this dreadful time.
For some pre-game reading, Barney is in East London for the paper. This is his take on England’s final training session and the week they have ahead of them.
Related: England turn up heat in South Africa for final T20 series showdown | Barney Ronay
The start of the South Africa series and the return of Roy, Buttler, Moeen & Stokes to the batting order after being rested in New Zealand is a significant day in England’s road to the World Cup. Thread (1/n). #SAvENG
From three fairly forgettable ODIs to the format that matters most in the lead up to the T20 World Cup this October. That’s the case for both sides with fixture lists stacked accordingly until they all fly to Australia for the next major tournament.
It all begins in East London on South Africa’s Eastern Cape, this the first of three short-form matches to finish off England’s long and largely successful tour. They welcome back Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Jason Roy - all of whom were rested the last time they played a 20-over international in New Zealand last November.
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