South Africa [174/8] defeat England [171/6] by 3 runs to level the T20 series 1-1

[Abdullah719]

England Squad
EJG Morgan*, JM Bairstow, SW Billings, JC Buttler†, MS Crane, TK Curran, LA Dawson, AD Hales, CJ Jordan, LS Livingstone, DJ Malan, C Overton, LE Plunkett, JJ Roy, DJ Willey, MA Wood

South Africa Squad
AB de Villiers*, F Behardien, RR Hendricks, Imran Tahir, DA Miller, M Morkel, CH Morris, M Mosehle, WD Parnell, D Paterson, AL Phehlukwayo, D Pretorius, T Shamsi, JT Smuts

England won the toss and opted to field first.

 

[Ozymandiasza]

Hope they bounce back strongly

 

[Ozymandiasza]

Curran looks legit. Another poached player?

 

[HitWicket]

Curran looks legit. Another poached player?

His Dad was Zimbabwean player Kevin Curran who spent a lot of time over in England playing county cricket. His 19 year old brother Sam Curran (who was born in England) is also a talented bowling all rounder.

 

[TahirFan]

New Look Proteas looking good

 

[Ozymandiasza]

His Dad was Zimbabwean player Kevin Curran who spent a lot of time over in England playing county cricket. His 19 year old brother Sam Curran (who was born in England) is also a talented bowling all rounder.

Ah, good find them.

Jinxed him a bit there

 

[HitWicket]

At Taunton South Africa surely have to be looking at 180+ to even be competitive.

 

[TahirFan]

Mosehle out AB in

Will AB come good today

 

[Protea Fan]

Hope AB play an entirely diff inngs to what he played 2 days back

 

[Protea Fan]

AB looks in fair touch within no time

 

[TahirFan]

AB looks positive and dangerous today

 

[TahirFan]

Jan Smuts out. Good innings of 45

 

[TahirFan]

Miller Gone. Miller has become a good fisherman

 

[yasir]

What has happen to SA? - They are going from bad to worse...

 

[TahirFan]

What has happen to SA? - They are going from bad to worse...

South Africa is playing with a good bowling attack today. I believe that they will be able to defend any score below 200

 

[ExpressPacer]

Ah, Curran brothers. Add another to the list of poached players by the English set up. More Zimbos in English cricket than all of Zimbabwe!

 

[TahirFan]

Phehlukwayo out

 

[ExpressPacer]

Phehlukwayo out

Is it Phehlukwayo who you say bowls faster than Rabada or Ngidi?

 

[Ozymandiasza]

Behardien

Edit: Finally

 

[Ozymandiasza]

Terrible, just terrible.

 

[HitWicket]

Ah, Curran brothers. Add another to the list of poached players by the English set up. More Zimbos in English cricket than all of Zimbabwe!

Northampton, the notorious suburb of Harare in Sam's case?

 

[TahirFan]

Behardien out. Another valuable innings from him

 

[TahirFan]

Protea set England 174. Morris, Morkel, Patterson and Shamsi should defend that score

 

[czar]

Curran Brothers are sons of famous of Famous Zimbabwean Cricketer Kevin Curran.

England Cricket team is like a World Eleven.

 

[Ozymandiasza]

English commies said this was an under-par score.

Behardien in his insistence on keeping strike scored 6 runs from 6 balls. He played a decent innings before that though.

 

[ExpressPacer]

I have a feeling Patterson is going to be the find of this match.

 

[czar]

170 is average score in this wicket. Safffie bowlers will have to bowl well here.

England trying too many newbies too.

 

[HitWicket]

Roy's has no luck all season, appears he's saved it up for today.

 

[Anchorman]

Bairstow is one of my favorite players to watch these days. Absolutely incredible shot-making.

Never looks like getting out.

 

[Khwaja]

Cheer for Africa... expose England now!!!

 

[Khwaja]

If SA manages looses this... they are for sure a spineless toothless team...

 

[Khwaja]

England have 3 wicket keepers in their team

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Looks like England will win this with ease as well.

 

[czar]

England too good for SA.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Curran Brothers are sons of famous of Famous Zimbabwean Cricketer Kevin Curran.

England Cricket team is like a World Eleven.

Tom Curran(who is playing today) was born in South Africa while his brother Sam was born in England.

 

[HitWicket]

How on earth has that been given out obstruction?

 

[hadi123]

Rightly given out imo

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Yes that was out.England choking?Need 40 runs in 4 overs

 

[troodon]

England giving chances to lots of youngsters.

BCCI should learn a thing or two from ECB in blooding in youngsters into the playing XI.

 

[Anchorman]

Shaping up to be a fantastic finish.

 

[idrizzy]

21 needed off 12 balls. Enthralling stuff!

 

[Khwaja]

12 off 6 balls now

 

[Khwaja]

8 required off 2 balls.... Livingston, the debutant newbie, knows he can't finish this... he runout himself so Morgan can come to bat... it's too late I believe..

 

[Khwaja]

SA win by 3 runs... yes!!!! This should help Pakistan in t20 team rankings!!

 

[aloo paratha]

Great match, great comeback.

 

[IAJ]

What a match! Livingstone looked seriously poor. Where is that Duckett guy?

 

[Ahson8]

Most darpok team at it again

 

[Syed1]

Darpok

 

[Khwaja]

Pakistan is now ranked 2 in t20s... they are ahead of England by just 1 point!! And behind NZ by 4 points!!

 

[Billy1999]

Liam Bhai

What was that from the Lancashire tendulkar

 

[Pakistanian]

Darpok

lol I hope that nickname sticks with the English #Darpoks

 

[Slog]

AB should play test series

 

[MenInG]

CHRIS MORRIS led a superb bowling performance to enable the Standard Bank Proteas to secure a three-run series-levelling victory over England in the second T20 International at Taunton on Friday.

The two teams now go to a series deciding match at Cardiff on Sunday.

The Proteas, losing the toss and having to bat first, looked a few runs short when they were restricted to 174/8 in their 20 overs. Their total was set up by Jon-Jon Smuts (45 off 35 balls, 4 fours and 3 sixes) and AB de Villiers (46 off 20 balls, 4 fours and 3 sixes) but they were unable to kick on when De Villiers was dismissed going into the final 5 overs.

Tom Curran was the pick of the England attack, taking 3/33 on debut.

But they had the man for the moment in Morris (2/18 in 4 overs with 16 dot balls) and he received great support from two inexperienced youngsters, Dane Paterson and Andile Phehlukwayo. The pair had to bowl the last four overs when England needed 40 runs with seven wickets still in hand and they rose to the occasion.

Phehlukwayo had to defend 12 runs (11 to prevent a super over) and he did a superb job, only going for 8 runs. It is not the first time that he has put his hand up in his young career and he is certainly one for the big occasion. He finished with 1/32 and Paterson with 1/34. The pair have only played 9 T20 Internationals between them and it said wonders for their composure under pressure.

The changes made to the South African bowling attack certainly made a difference with Morris, Paterson and Morne Morkel all being brought into the side.

England’s runs chase was set up by Jason Roy (67 off 45 balls, 9 fours and a six) and Jonny Bairstow (47 off 37 balls, 8 fours and a six) who shared a second wicket partnership of 110 in 11.4 overs.

Morris was named Man of the Match.

 

[Billy1999]

I'm pretty sure Liam won't play for England again

 

[Khwaja]

Boring match

 

[MenInG]

Standard Bank Proteas opening batsman, Jon-Jon Smuts, has credited AB de Villiers’ spurring leadership for the resilient performance in the three-run win against England in the second T20 International in Taunton on Friday. The win sets the series up for an exciting finish, with a winner-takes-all finale in Cardiff on Sunday.

The spirited show from the bowlers brought the Proteas back from possible defeat, with Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo leading the charge with an impressive show of temperament and skill. The win has given the squad the belief of a ‘come from behind’ series win, which will be a welcome confidence boost ahead of the Test series starting next month.

“AB was unbelievable,” he said. “He made us believe that we could win that game from anywhere, and we did. If you looked at where they (England) were after 11 overs, they needed 70 to win with nine wickets in hand, most teams wouldn’t lose many games from there. That showed how well our seamers and Shamsi bowled, we were in it until the end, it was a great team performance.

“For South African cricket and the Proteas it’s massive,” he said of the final match. “I supposed you could say that I was fortunate not to have been part of the Champions Trophy and I haven’t been involved in the disappointments, even though I feel it as a South African.

“It’s another big game, the series is on the line, this is what we want to play for,” Smuts added. “We want to win series and to beat England here would be a great comeback for us. We have to treat it like any other game, it is batter versus bowler, one ball at a time.”

Smuts recovered from a first-ball duck in the opening match to set up the platform upfront with 45 off 35 balls, an innings that gave a glimpse of his potential at international level after dominating on the domestic scene last season.

“It was quite enjoyable after Wednesday’s game,” he said. “Wednesday was tough to go through, so it was nice to get the team off to a good start and to play a small part in the team’s victory.

“I’ve done well domestically, that has held me in great stead to be here but you want to put in performances for your country. This was my fifth game and I hadn’t really put in a performance yet so it was enjoyable to get a performance in. It wasn’t a great performance, it was a good performance, I needed to kick on to 80 or so but hopefully it’s a good start for me and I can carry on from here.”

The match is scheduled to start at 14h30 local time.

 

[shaz619]

ABDV finally showing up when it doesn't count much like his fellow international colleague