Quantcast

Debutant leads England to series win

Captain Morgan rested but replacement Malan stars to consign Proteas to another loss on UK soil

Dawid Malan became England's top-scoring Twenty20 International debutant as they beat South Africa by 19 runs in Cardiff on Sunday to seal a 2-1 series win despite resting captain Eoin Morgan.

Malan, playing in place of Middlesex teammate Morgan, made 78 in a total of 8-181 after England were sent into bat by South Africa captain AB de Villiers. 

South Africa then collapsed to 5-86, with leg-spinner Mason Crane taking the prize scalp of De Villiers (35) for his first wicket at this level.

They rarely threatened England's total, despite some big-hitting late on from Mangaliso Mosehle (36) and Andile Phehlukwayo (27 not out).

Quick Single: Curran feels the need for speed

The Proteas' fate was effectively sealed when Tom Curran, in just his second match at this level, conceded just seven runs off the penultimate over on his way to 2-22.

Player-of-the-match Malan's impressive 44-ball innings featuring 12 fours and two sixes surpassed the 46 made by Paul Collingwood in England's very first match at this level - a 100-run win over Australia at Southampton in 2005.

"I didn't think this day would ever come so it was nice to get the opportunity to show what I can do," said Malan.

England's stand-in skipper Jos Buttler added: "Dawid batted on a different wicket to the rest of us."

Roy's rare dismissal causes stir in second T20

Meanwhile De Villiers was left to rue some sloppy fielding as his side, beaten in the one-day international series by England and knocked out in the first round of the Champions Trophy, suffered another defeat on this tour.

"In the field we lost 20 runs and we lost (the match) by 19," he said. "We let it slip there."

Alex Hales and Malan shared a second-wicket stand of 105 in 10.3 overs.

But from 3-166, England lost their next five wickets for 14 runs.

Dane Paterson, who was twice on a hat-trick, led South Africa's attack with 4-32.

Jason Roy, dropped on nought, fell for eight when caught behind trying to ramp fast bowler Morne Morkel. 

His exit brought in Malan. Born in London but brought up in South Africa, the 29-year-old got off the mark in style by pulling Chris Morris for six over midwicket.

England hammer Proteas in series opener

Meanwhile Hales suffered a painful blow on eight when he bottom edged a pull off paceman Paterson onto an unprotected knee.

Hales should have been out on 10 when he mistimed a drive off Morris only for Phehlukwayo to make a complete hash of a routine catch.

Malan then drove fast bowler Morkel straight back over his head for a six that soared out of the ground and into the River Taff.

But he also showed touch too in flipping leg-spinner Imran Tahir over short fine leg for a four that saw him to fifty.

The stand was broken when Hales (36) holed out to deep midwicket where David Miller took a good catch and Malan fell soon afterwards, caught at long-on off Tahir.

England's innings then petered out as Paterson helped himself to some cheap wickets.

Cape Town-born paceman Curran, carrying on from where he left off on debut in a three-run defeat at Taunton on Friday, dismissed Reeza Hendricks for a duck.

De Villiers, in his last match of the tour - he is not staying on for the Test leg as he continues his self-imposed break from the longest format - looked in good touch as he twice hoisted Crane for legside sixes in the 11th over.

But the last ball of that over saw him fail to get enough height and the tall Hales took a well-judged catch on the boundary edge.

And when the dangerous Miller was caught behind down the legside by Buttler off Chris Jordan, the Proteas were 5-86 in the 12th over.