Proteas wilt in T20 clash against England
Kieswetter, Buttler ensure England draws T20 series
SOUTH Africa wilted under a batting onslaught from Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler to share the Twenty20 cricket series with England after losing the third clash of the three-match series at Edgbaston in Birmingham last night. In a match reduced by rain to 11 overs a side England, after losing the toss, made 118 for five, finishing with a flurry of runs as they slammed 55 runs off the last three overs of their innings.
In reply, South Africa reached 90 for five in their 11 overs to lose the match by 28 runs, sharing the series 1-1.
The Proteas won the first match of the series at Chester-le-Street, but the second game ended in a no-result in Manchester on Monday after rain caused the match to be abandoned.
The weather again played a role yesterday to reduce the game to something of a lottery, but England controlled much of the shortened game, making the perfect start when SA fast bowler Morne Morkel conceded 16 runs in his first over, including a wide which did not even hit the pitch.
Later, Wayne Parnell conceded 32 runs in his second over, including a wide and two no-balls, as the England batsmen ran riot.
Kieswetter made 50 off 32 balls with three sixes and three fours. Together with Buttler (32 not out) they put on 48 in 14 balls.
Offspinner Johan Botha excelled with the ball for the Proteas, taking two for 19 in three overs.
Hashim Amla continued to shine for the Proteas, hitting the top score of 36 runs off 26 balls, but there was not much support from the rest in the face of some intelligent bowling by the England attack.
England made three changes to their side last night, with Michael Lumb, a member of the team that won the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean two years ago, returning in place of opener Alex Hales and Tim Bresnan, fit following an elbow problem, in for Steven Finn.
They also gave a Twenty20 international debut to leftarm spinner Danny Briggs.
A star performer for English domestic Twenty20 champions Hampshire, Briggs replaced fellow left-arm spinner Samit Patel.
This was only Briggs’s second full England appearance following his lone one-day international outing against Pakistan in Dubai in February.
South Africa, the world’s top-ranked Twenty20 side, made two changes, resting batsman JP Duminy and fast bowler Dale Steyn as Faf du Plessis and Parnell were recalled.
Both teams are due to leave England on Thursday for this month’s World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.