Johannesburg – Chris Jordan remains confident that England can square the T20 International series against South Africa on Sunday despite falling to a three-wicket defeat from the final ball of the opening game on Friday.
Jordan took 3-23 as the tourists almost prevented the Proteas chasing down a modest target of 135, with Chris Morris plundering 14 of the 15 required from Reece Topley’s final over to deny England at the last.
“It’s gutting to bring the game so close and to lose on the last ball like that,” Jordan said.
“But on a positive note for us, to take a game that close and try to defend a score which is a little bit below par tonight, a lot of credit has to go to the bowling unit and the fielding unit for taking the game that close.”
The Newlands surface offered some turn and assistance for the seamers, and Jordan admits England should have adjusted their mentality quicker as they slipped to 81/6, before Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 32 ensured a competitive total.
“Everyone who batted out there realised how tough it was when the guys bowled a few cross seamers, a few changes of pace and the boundaries square here are quite big,” he added.
“We came out positively, took a little while to take the first wicket, but once we got that wicket we started to get on a bit of a roll and buzz around in the field and more and more wickets started to come and we started to build pressure that way. It’s a bit of a shame that we didn’t quite get over the line tonight.”
Jordan was the man to make that initial breakthrough, with the Sussex seamer snaring key man AB de Villiers for seven, caught by Alex Hales at deep backward square-leg.
“If you get the number one T20 and one-day batsman in the world out you must be overjoyed,” he added.
“I try to enjoy every moment and celebrate as many wickets as I can because you never know when the next one’s going to come! It was quite a big wicket for us and sort of got us on a roll.
“In T20 cricket you’re always trying to go at just about a run a ball and pick up wickets in between so I probably did just under a run a ball tonight so I’ll keep building on that and try to take it into the next game on Sunday. We need to get slightly better with the bat –tonight was a bit below par.
“I’m sure we will do, not that long ago we beat a very good team in T20 cricket 3-0 and guys were blazing it all over the park. I’m sure the guys will bounce back and we’ll put that right on Sunday.”
– ANA