England fall short in T20 World Cup run chase as South Africa hold their nerve

Buoyed by a thumping victory over West Indies on the same ground 36 hours earlier, England went into this second Super Eight clash against South Africa knowing victory would all but guarantee a spot in the men’s T20 World Cup semi-finals.

Instead, they will face USA in Barbados on Sunday needing, in all likelihood, a win to keep their title defence alive. They were undone by a gimlet-eyed Proteas’ performance on a surface that only the uber-talented Quinton de Kock, 65 from 38 balls, had earlier transcended. Set a target of 164, Jos Buttler’s side could only scrape their way to 156 for six from 20 overs despite a defiant 37-ball 53 from Harry Brook.

As such, it is South Africa with two wins from two – and now six in a row in the tournament overall – who can turn thoughts towards the knockouts. Aiden Markram’s side were full value for it, too, hustling their way 163 for six after being stuck in at the toss and Keshav Maharaj spinning his way to figures two for 25 in the shutdown.

Not that it was entirely settled when Moeen Ali holed out off Ottneil Baartman in the 11th over and England needed 103 from 58 balls. A spirited stand of 78 from 42 balls between Brook and Liam Livingstone (33 from 17) had kept England in the hunt right to the end, seamer Baartman losing his length and taken for a 21-run 17th over.

But South Africa held their nerve in the denouement, Livingstone caught in the deep off Kagiso Rabada and Brook, starting the final over with 14 required, falling to a sparkling catch by Markram over his shoulder in the deep off Anrich Nortje’s first ball. On a day featuring some excellent out-cricket from both sides, this was the clincher.

So much went back to de Kock’s mastery, a wicketless 63-run powerplay, and David Miller, 43 not out from 28, clearing the rope twice at the back end of South Africa’s innings. Otherwise their batters signposted the struggle on a pitch much changed from the two previous night games, not least opener Reeza Hendricks labouring to 19 from 25 balls at the other end before holing out off Moeen in the 10th over.

De Kock was sublime in the early exchanges, a sense of creeping English dread descending when he helped take Jofra Archer’s first over – the fourth of the innings – for 21 runs. An eye-watering blow to the box first up was followed by back-to-back sixes – one off the hip, one swung over deep mid-wicket – and a sumptuous uppercut four.

Bringing up a 21-ball half-century, De Kock was also sharp enough to stand his ground on 58 after seemingly sending a top-edged sweep off Rashid to Mark Wood on the rope. The ball held up in the wind, Wood struggled to adjust, and Joel Wilson, the third umpire, concluded his splayed fingers had failed to prevent the ball touching grass.

Instead, it was Archer who shut down De Kock’s buttery knock, exacting revenge for that earlier assault en route to figures of three for 40 with a 12th over that cost three runs but, more crucially, saw the uppercut fly into Buttler’s glove this time. Finding the edge with a smart cutter, Archer was still thankful to his captain’s full-stretch dive.

Buttler went on to top it with a superb pick-up-and-throw – admittedly set up by his initial fumble – that saw the potentially dangerous Heinrich Klaasen run out for seven at the far end. Delighted by a shy from some 30 yards on the turn, the typically restrained England celebrated like it was a last-minute winner at Wembley.

With a dipping leg-break from Adil Rashid forcing Markram to chop on amid a four-over spell that cost just 20 runs, and two fine diving catches from Brook and Curran handing Archer wickets in successive balls, South Africa could only manage 100 for six in the last 14 overs of their innings. But as England soon discovered, the struggle was real and their campaign of lurching fortunes continues.