England faced a 14-run defeat against South Africa in the opening T20 international at Cardiff, a match significantly impacted by adverse weather conditions.
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England faced a 14-run defeat against South Africa in a rain-curtailed opening T20 match in Cardiff.
Following a delayed start, the match was reduced to nine overs per side. South Africa aggressively scored 97-5 in 7.5 overs before another rain delay.
England’s revised target was set at 69 in five overs. Tasked with immediate aggression, they reached 43-5, needing 26 from the last five balls.
Sam Curran, recalled to the team, struck a six, offering a brief moment of hope for the hosts. However, the tourists ultimately secured a comfortable victory, with England finishing at 54-5. Corbin Bosch and Marco Jansen each took two wickets.
Jos Buttler’s 25 off 11 balls, including three sixes, kept England in contention, but early wickets proved costly. Phil Salt was caught at fine leg on the first ball of the chase, Jacob Bethell was caught at cover for seven, and captain Harry Brook was dismissed for a duck after a chaotic four-ball innings.
Earlier, Luke Wood replaced Jofra Archer in a late change. Wood dismissed Ryan Rickelton in the first over, while captain Aiden Markram led the charge with 28 off 14 balls.
Dewald Brevis, recently named the most expensive player in the SA20 auction, contributed an entertaining 23 off 10 balls before falling to Curran’s first ball. Donovan Ferreira remained unbeaten with 25 off 11.
The three-match series continues at Old Trafford on Friday, with rain also in the forecast.
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‘Not the way England wanted to start’ – Salt caught first ball
England opted not to risk Archer on the wet outfield, despite his initial selection. His replacement, Wood, added Lhuan-dre Pretorius to his list of wickets, alongside Rickelton.
Markram and Brevis then exploited the Cardiff ground’s dimensions, particularly the short straight boundaries, targeting spinners Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson with powerful sixes.
England had a stroke of luck earlier when Salt dropped Markram on 24, but he was eventually caught by Wood off Adil Rashid in the following over.
After the tourists reached 73 in six overs, Brevis was deceived by one of Curran’s slower deliveries, clocked at just over 50mph, resulting in a catch at backward point.
Tristan Stubbs audaciously ramped the ball for a six that exited the ground, but was then bowled by Jamie Overton for 13.
Ferreira concluded the innings with powerful hits, perfected during Oval Invincibles’ successful Hundred campaign, including a crucial six off the final ball.
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Brook out for a duck after top edge is caught by Rickelton
After the rain-affected innings, England struggled with the bat, lacking options beyond aggressive hitting.
Their required run-rate, exceeding 13 per over from the start, would have been the highest successful five-over chase in men’s T20s.
Salt’s disappointing night continued when he fell to Kagiso Rabada’s first ball, and Bethell hit a six before his dismissal one ball later.
Brook missed a shot, attempted two ramp shots falling over both times, before nicking behind off Bosch’s medium pace.
Buttler executed ramps and scoops to near perfection, leveraging the shorter boundaries for three sixes, but Curran’s 10 was the second highest contribution.
Buttler was caught behind off Jansen’s last ball of the penultimate over all-but ending England’s hopes before Tom Banton was out for five a ball later.
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