pitched up and humped over mid-off, Morkel finishes with a boundary but it is England who win by 19 runs to take the series 2-1
England vs South Africa, 3rd T20I at Cardiff, Jun 25 2017 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
3rd T20I, Cardiff, June 25, 2017, South Africa tour of England
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SA
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end of over 2017 runs
SA: 162/7CRR: 8.10
Morne Morkel5 (2b 1x4)
Andile Phehlukwayo27 (20b 4x4)
Chris Jordan 4-0-31-3
Tom Curran 4-0-22-2
6.20pm: England have the series trophy, Eoin Morgan on hand (in his kit) to pick it up on behalf of his sweat-sullied minions. AB de Villiers and a few of the SA crew will now head off, with a Test squad to be named very soon... We will of course be back for all that good stuff in a couple of weeks. Until then, here is George Dobell's report from Cardiff, and thanks from Miller and myself for your lively contributions, as ever. Stay classy... Bye!
6.05pm: That was a lot of fun, an energetic wrassle to finish off the white-ball stuff before we get to the real McCoy - four Tests in July and August. Shall we get on with the presentations? There are probably a few baubles to hand out... Starting with Man of the Match Dawid Malan, on England debut: "It has [been worth the wait]. I didn't think it would ever come but nice to show what I can do. It's tough but you try and keep things in perspective and wait for an opportunity. [Easy to settle in?] The first few balls I wasn't, when the nerves have gone it's a lot easier but to play for your country is a fantastic achievement. It was a pretty good score, tough to score when they bowled their variations. I've only played one game, especially with the guys we've got - hopefully they rest a few in the next game as well!"
South Africa captain AB de Villiers: "I think so, it's probably true they played the better cricket throughout the series so credit to them. We slipped up a little bit with a couple of mistakes in the field ... but we finished really well and Paterson put in an amazing spell of bowling. I though Liam Plunkett and the seamers bowled really well, hitting the middle of the pitch. We were only 19 tuns short, and their seamers bowled well so it was tough. [Targeting Crane?] I was always going to go and I was waiting for his next over as well, so well bowled to him and well played. He was always going to be the guy to go after and I thought he handled it well."
England captain (for today) Jos Buttler: "I thought we had a really good score, Dawid batted on a different wicket, made it look really good on debut. We thought it was a good score, played here a lot recently and know the dimensions. Credit to the guys doing the bowling, they captained themselves. Everybody's got to produce, Liam Plunkett showed why he's been so consistent. The pitch had a bit of variation in it, the guys bowled well and are really happy. All the best teams have very good players missing out, with injuries, and with guys coming in, there is pressure on you, feel like you need to perform and it was a fantastic show of character from Dawid Malan."
5.55pm: A smart all-round bowling performance brings England a pretty comfortable win in the end. Once AB de Villiers fell, sucked into once slog-sweep too many by Mason Crane, you felt the odds were against SA. Mangaliso Mosehle produced a lively cameo and Andile Phehlukwayo showed what a good all-round talent he is, but England's pace attack nailed the result down with some canny short-pitched bowling. Chris Jordan, Tom Curran and Liam Plunkett shared six wickets and England's stand-in captain, Jos Buttler, can add another win to his CV.
19.6
4
Jordan to Morkel, FOUR runs
Last ball (barring mishap)... SA need four sixes off it
19.5
1
Jordan to Phehlukwayo, 1 run
Jordan makes amends with a good wide yorker that is skewed down to third man for one
Free hit coming... A few more of those could make things interesting
19.5
1nb
Jordan to Phehlukwayo, (no ball)
well, there's a no-ball, Phehlukwayo clubbing a high full toss into the leg side
"SA, first 3 batsmen, 37 off 44," notes Kapil. "Don't think you win too many T20 games."
19.4
2
Jordan to Phehlukwayo, 2 runs
heaved into the leg side, they come racing back for two although Morkel would have been struggling if the throw to Jordan was better
19.3
4
Jordan to Phehlukwayo, FOUR runs
nailed down the ground this time, makes room and hammers the ball past long-on for another boundary
19.2
4
Jordan to Phehlukwayo, FOUR runs
fast and wide and ramped from practically next to the tramlines over short fine leg! Audacious from Lucky, gets it away as the fielder gives chase, bouncing to the ropes for four
19.1
1
Jordan to Morkel, 1 run
angled across, back of a length, Morkel cloths a back-foot swipe into the covers
Chris Jordan to put the lid on this one
With the match now (barring no-balls...) out of South Africa's reach, here's the England series-winning gallery
end of over 197 runs • 1 wicket
SA: 145/7CRR: 7.63 • RRR: 37.00
Andile Phehlukwayo16 (15b 2x4)
Tom Curran 4-0-22-2
David Willey 4-0-40-0
Morne Morkel plods out... and he will be on strike for the start of the final over, as the batsmen crossed. Just the 37 needed
18.6
W
Tom Curran to Mosehle, OUT
another full toss, flapped into the leg side... and taken by deep midwicket running in! They want to check for the no-ball on height but it seems fine, dipping towards the batsman's waistband as he heaved unsuccessfully for another safe catch in the deep
Mangaliso Mosehle c Billings b Curran 36 (22b 1x4 4x6 36m) SR: 163.63
18.5
4
Tom Curran to Mosehle, FOUR runs
slings down a full toss wide of the stumps, nailed over the covers by Mosehle and it clears Livingstone, who was a dozen yards in and had to turn and go haring back, bounces away for four
18.4
1
Tom Curran to Phehlukwayo, 1 run
slower ball, out the back of the hand, Phehlukwayo hits across the line but mistimes it for another single
Here's Kaushik: "Credit to England for the way they bowled..hitting those hard lengths keeping up with the dimensions on either ends."
18.3
1
Tom Curran to Mosehle, 1 run
fired in full, Mosehle is deep in the crease, crouched for the big heave-ho... but can only squirt one to mid-on
18.2
1lb
Tom Curran to Phehlukwayo, 1 leg bye
full and straight, goes for the scoop and it deflects away off the body behind square
18.1
•
Tom Curran to Phehlukwayo, no run
pitched up, 83mph and wide of off stump, plinked to mid-off
Tom Curran's Haircut to deliver the penultimate over...
end of over 1816 runs
SA: 138/6CRR: 7.66 • RRR: 22.00
Mangaliso Mosehle31 (19b 4x6)
Andile Phehlukwayo15 (12b 2x4)
David Willey 4-0-40-0
Tom Curran 3-0-16-1
17.6
•
Willey to Mosehle, no run
good finish from Willey, fired in full at the toes from round the wicket as Mosehle tries to make room, bunted back to the bowler
17.5
1
Willey to Phehlukwayo, 1 run
pitched up, making Phehlukwayo hit to the off side, gets a big top edge down towards third man... but it doesn't carry, just one as the fielder takes it securely on the bounce
17.4
2
Willey to Phehlukwayo, 2 runs
full and wide of the stumps, Phehlukwayo checks a drive in front of deep backward point for a couple
Those two sixes have given SA heart, 48 now needed from 15... They can't, can they?
17.3
1
Willey to Mosehle, 1 run
goes round the wicket, full length, Mosehle thumps it for one through cover
We're going to need a replacement pill...
17.2
6
Willey to Mosehle, SIX runs
dug in outside off... and Mosehle has plopped this one in the drink! Sort of a forehand, overarm smash and it sailed over wide long-off, beyond the confines of the ground and (in all probability) into the River Taff
17.1
6
Willey to Mosehle, SIX runs
banged in short, Mosehle backs away and blaps it flat over long-on for six! There was a man out there but it flew murderously past him on the full
David Willey changes ends
end of over 177 runs
SA: 122/6CRR: 7.17 • RRR: 20.00
Andile Phehlukwayo12 (10b 2x4)
Mangaliso Mosehle18 (15b 2x6)
Tom Curran 3-0-16-1
Liam Plunkett 4-0-22-1
England battening down the hatches, here. Just seven off the over, Curran showing his nous again
16.6
•
Tom Curran to Phehlukwayo, no run
goes round the wicket, another slower delivery, slightly leg side and Phehlukwayo tries to reverse-dab... gets an under-edge through to the keeper on the bounce
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