England claimed the T20 series 2-1
England claimed the T20 series 2-1

England v South Africa T20: England secure 2-1 series victory


England have beaten South Africa by 19 runs in Cardiff to secure a 2-1 win in the Twenty20 international series.

Match scores: Cardiff 


England won by 19 runs

England inns: 181-8 (20 overs. Malan 78, Hales 36, Buttler 31; Paterson 4-32, Phehlukwayo 2-44)

South Africa inns: 162-7 (20 overs. Mosehle 36, de Villers 35; Jordan 3-31, Curran 2-22)

Match report


England claimed the NatWest International Twenty20 Series with a 19-run victory over South Africa in Cardiff.

Dawid Malan's 78 from 44 balls - the highest score by an England player on T20 debut - was the bedrock of England's 181 for eight at the SSE Swalec Stadium.

South Africa had kept the three-game series alive by winning a Taunton thriller on Friday.

But the target proved beyond them this time as the Proteas ended on 162 for seven, England taking the series 2-1.

South Africa captain AB de Villiers gave the visitors brief hope of chasing down England with a typically bludgeoning 35 from 19 balls.

But when De Villiers became a rather memorable first international victim for leg-spinner Mason Crane at the end of the 11th over, South Africa were 82 for four and England were on their way to victory.

England had enjoyed early success as South Africa's reply started in familiar fashion.

Tom Curran, just as he had done at Taunton, removed Reeza Hendricks in his first over before Chris Morris pulled Chris Jordan straight to Alex Hales on the square leg boundary.

JJ Smuts soon skied Liam Plunkett to fine leg, but South Africa were always in the game when De Villiers was at the wicket.

However, after hitting two sixes, he fell inches from a third as Hales again showed excellent spatial awareness to stay inside the rope and collect the catch.

Crane's understandable excitement at his first international wicket was also matched by its importance in the contest.

Mangaliso Mohsele (36) and Andile Phehlukwayo (27 not out) offered spirited resistance late on, but England kept tight lines with Jordan (three wickets for 31 runs) and Curran (two for 22) the pick of the bowlers.

England had earlier appeared to be heading for a 200-plus total before losing momentum and wickets at the end of their innings.

But 181 was still a more than useful total on a day when skipper Eoin Morgan had chosen to rest himself and blood new talent.

Jos Buttler took over the captaincy but it was Malan who was to become the headline act.

The Middlesex left-hander had pressed his case for inclusion with scores of 125 not out and 84 for the England Lions against South Africa A earlier this month.

And although Malan turns 30 at the start of September, this was a performance which suggested he might be around for some time yet.

There was no sign of nerves after the early loss of Jason Roy for eight as Malan hoisted Morris over midwicket for six from only his second ball in international cricket.

No Proteas' bowler was spared punishment: Andile Phehlukwayo and Dane Paterson were despatched for boundaries and the first ball he faced from Imran Tahir was hit straight past the leg-spinner for four.

Even Morne Morkel, sending down 90 miles per hour deliveries, was in the firing line with Malan striking him out of the ground and towards the River Taff.

Malan's half-century came from 31 balls as he shared a second-wicket partnership of 105 with Hales, who was dropped on nine when Phehlukwayo spilled the simplest of chances.

Having required treatment for a bang on the knee, Hales made 36 from 28 balls and Buttler joined the supporting cast with 31.

England were guilty of carelessness in the closing stages, losing their last five wickets for 15 runs, as Paterson recorded best T20 figures of four for 32.

But England still got home with something to spare and get a morale boost ahead of the forthcoming Test series between the two countries.

Match reaction


Stand-in England captain Jos Buttler: "Depth is huge if you are going to become a really good side. 

"If you look around at all the best teams in cricket over the years, they've always had fantastic players not playing.

"Those great Australian sides had guys who could have played 50 or 100 Tests for another nation.

"Dawid (Malan) showed by that performance that there are some good players really knocking on the door. It was a fantastic knock because having played here before we knew the wicket was a little bit two-paced.

"It's not an easy thing to do, but he showed great composure on a wicket which he made look a lot easier than it was. He looked as if he was playing his 50th game, as opposed to his first."

Buttler on bowlers Tom Curran and Mason Crane: "I was impressed with Tom again. He bowled well at Taunton and he knows his game very well, as does Liam Plunkett.

"Mason also seemed very composed. You're limited to do what you can because you can't bring the boundaries in.

"De Villiers obviously targeted that over to put pressure on a young guy in his second game. But Mason showed great heart and character to get his wicket."

South Africa captain AB De Villiers on the match: "We let ourselves down in the field with a couple of fumbles and a few dropped catches.

"We lost by 19 runs and I can think of 20-plus runs we threw away in the field with silly mistakes.

"They fielded pretty well and saved about 10, so there's a 30-run swing there.

"But the positive thing is that some young guns have shown in this series they can play the game at the highest level."

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