full and wide and slapped down the ground to long-off, they are going to come charging back for two... and Topley fails to gather as the throw comes in! It would have been a run-out and a tie but instead South Africa win by three wickets! Lummy
South Africa vs England, 1st T20I at Cape Town, Feb 19 2016 - Match Result
9.40pm: Phew! England might need to piece Reece Topley back together but we'll be back to do this all again on Sunday. Firdose's report will tell the story of a thrilling game and there'll be video and more up on the site shortly. Thanks for your comments as always, Chris Jordan can at least sleep well tonight. From Gnasher and myself, it's cheerio until the next time. Bye!
9.30pm: That was a dogfight for the ages... And who knows, maybe both teams will benefit from the experience when similar situations crop up at the World T20 in a few weeks? There were plenty of errors, a top score of 32 and some excellent bowling on display. Anyway, time for the presentations...
England captain Eoin Morgan: "After a poor batting display, our bowlers nearly bailed us out, Chris Jordan, Ben Stokes. Getting that close is a huge positive for us. It got slower, hard to bat on but not as badly as we did. It's a message that we've preached [being positive], probably should have won tonight, deserved to win. Hopefully we can do so with the bat in future. I though Ben Stokes in a role he doesn't normally fulfill was outstanding and we were unlucky not to get over the line."
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis: "That's a massive get out of jail card for us, like in Monopoly. Both teams played well but there's a smile on my face as we won. We didn't start well, T20 is about executing as well as you can, they got off to a flier but we came back well and then tried to learn from their mistakes. Messed it up a little bit towards the end but Morris' little cameo won it. I think on this wicket that was probably a par score, so it was important to to have a base and our hitters coming in at the back end, we lost our way a little bit but will try and do better in the next game."
Imran Tahir is named Man of the Match: "Start of the one-day series I was a little bit down, I wanted to bowl like I did in the last series and I'm just really happy for team that I delivered. I'm really glad as long as I'm doing well for the team. I work hard in the nets, know I'm going to come on in the middle overs, can bowl in the Powerplay as well. I stick to my plans and variations. We can go to the World T20 with our ambitions and our skills and do fine. This is for my son."
"Chris Morris proving again he is the IPL Million Dollar Man!" whoops Avnish
Here's Hypocaust: "Chin up Reece. He'll feel he gave that away twice, missing the run-out and also his slow reaction to a chance off Morris earlier. England have bowled far wore than that and won games. That was an enthralling game of T20 cricket. So many clutch moments for players on both sides to show their mettle."
"Chuck Norris ... I mean Chris Morris ... does it again!!! You Beauty," chuckles Craig
9.20pm: Me oh my! What drama and Reece Topley looks distraught... He slapped the stumps in frustration as Abbott slid face first through the crease. Morris breaks his team out of jail again, breaks England's winning streak and ensures South Africa don't have to answer some awkward questions about their finishing. They're also 1-0 up and can't lose the series.
While I catch my breath, here's George: "Well played SA, Chris Morris seems to be the Heimlich manoeuvre they need to solve their choking problem. I do hope all those dullards moaning about selection issues and lambasting players managed to find some enjoyment in another fantastic game of cricket between 2 really entertaining sides. Cricket is a game of beauty, of sublime moments, of strategy and cunning, with ridiculous eccentricities and a rich history. It's there to be savoured. Enjoy it. "
Right. To. The. Wire... Two off the last ball, one to tie
full and straight, Morris gets under it and chips down the ground... long-off will cut it off but they get back for two
A big dot for Topley... Plenty of tinkering with the field now
"No, lightning cant strike twice..It just cant ...Morris, you beauty..." Prepared to get toasted, Samrat Ahuja
good length this time and Morris swings hard, mistimes it back to the bowler
Another twist, SA now favourites! Four off three
full toss on the stumps - and Morris slugs it into the stands at wide long-on! Huge from Morris, he's channeling his Wanderers mojo from last Friday! Just enough to clear the boundary rope
10 off four now
low full toss, Morris steps out and clubs four over cover! Met it with a meaty blow and there's no one out there
Big over for Reece Topley, who only made his debut six months ago... Remember, we get a Super Over if the scores are tied
charges in over the wicket, 129kph and full on the stumps, dug out straight to mid-off but they run anyway
"All the Jordan bashers eating their words now!" With extra sauce, Joe O... Reece Topley will bowl the final over, SA needing 15 to win an enthralling low-scorer. Strap in!
"Embarrassing by SA," grouches Louis. "Faf faffed around, Duminy didn't do enough, Roussouw gave it away. SA contriving to throw the game away."
short outside off, pulled down the ground, bounces to long-on - England happy to concede the single and keep Morris off strike
Are we witnessing The Vindication of Chris Jordan? One ball left in the over and Kyle Abbott is in to face it
dragged on! Full and wide as Wiese stepped to leg, swung blindly and chopped the ball into leg stump!
This is getting tighter and tighter... Wiese keeps the strike
"Jordan doing what he does best - embarrassing his critics," hoots Jez
short ball, Wiese swivels on the pull and gets it wide of deep square leg, they hurtle back for two
fired in full, excellent yorker from Jordan but they steal one anyway
FYI, courtesy of Gnasher: The lowest total England have defended in a full T20 is 129
swings a top edge down to third man... is that a drop? No, Topley didn't quite get there running in, maybe could have done a bit better but couldn't get his hands under it
In comes Chris Morris, who won the Joburg ODI for SA... 21 off 12 the equation
pitched up and drilled down the ground, straight to long-on once more! Jordan has another, SA slip-slide again, this game is not giving up... Miller's candle is snuffed out and the pendulum swings
swung through backward square leg, not a great connection but he'll keep the strike
Here's Jmani, with a flashback: "Little too early, but would like to quote this from the 1st innings - 'Umair: "man i'd love to read the comments of english fans if they go on to win the match after they dissected the whole team..."'"
four more, lasered through the covers! Miller picks up back-to-back boundaries with a couple of brutal blows
that'll help the home nerves, gets underneath a fierce blow down the ground, just enough to clear the diving Roy on the long-off boundary
switches the hands and misses again, this time hit outside the line of off
This one is threatening to go down the gurgler for SA
pushed through no the stumps, tries to reverse sweep and hit on the pad, not given
David Wiese in, Miller on strike
flighted on the stumps, Rossouw sweeps - and loops a top edge to short fine leg! Simple catch and England have another wicket at a key moment!
Pressure building, who's going to blink? SA need 32 off three overs...
"I do really like Chris Jordan, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who panicked when I saw his return coincided with Miller coming in." He's pulled out another good over there, David. England putting the strangle on
full outside off, larruped in front of extra cover but Rashid and Roy combine with a couple of smart dives to keep them to just a single
dug in, sits up nicely but Miller rifles a pull to deep midwicket
1W | ||||
2W | 1W | |||
1W | ||||
1W |
1W | ||||
Newlands, Cape Town | |
Toss | South Africa, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2015/16 |
Player Of The Match | |
Series result | South Africa led the 2-match series 1-0 |
Match number | T20I no. 503 |
Hours of play (local time) | 18.00 start, First Session 18.00-19.20, Interval 19.20-19.40, Second Session 19.40-21.00 |
Match days | 19 February 2016 - night (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |