Johannesburg – England lost their last seven wickets for just 14 runs in a remarkable collapse as the Proteas pulled things back dramatically in the second T20 international at the Wanderers on Sunday.
England were flourishing in the middle overs, with captain Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler flaying the Proteas attack to all parts of the ground in a partnership of 96 in 8.3 overs for the third wicket.
But wicket-keeper Buttler’s tame dismissal for 54 off 28 balls (4x4, 4x6) triggered an extraordinary meltdown from the visitors as England went from 157/3 in 16.2 overs to 171 all out in 19.4 overs.
The Proteas will be confident of achieving the 172-run target to win the series 2-0 on a good batting surface.
Buttler chipped a Kyle Abbott delivery to Proteas captain Faf du Plessis, who dived forward for an excellent catch. Suddenly things started going the home side’s way, as the very next ball, Ben Stokes smashed Abbott straight, and the bowler got a touch to it to run out Morgan for 38 off 23 balls (4x6).
Stokes (1) followed one run later when a thick inside edge saw him caught and bowled to Chris Morris, who got Moeen Ali (1) claimed by JP Duminy with a superb catch on the cover boundary.
Abbott got rid of Sam Billings (5) and Chris Jordan (1), and Kagiso Rabada finished things off by destroying Adil Rashid’s stumps for three.
Joe Root batted with authority for his 34 off 17 balls earlier, but he gave his wicket away when he tried to hit Imran Tahir over long-off, only to hold out to David Miller on the boundary.
Abbott was the pick of the attack with 3/26 in four overs, Rabada and Morris took two apiece, while Tahir kept things tight with 1/25 in his four.
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