Eoin Morgan equals England's fastest fifty in massive run chase at Centurion

Morgan equalled his own record for his country's fastest half-century in the format - 21 balls, while Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler also made half-centuries, as the tourists ended their two-month stay with a five-wicket win

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Centurion: South Africa 222-6; England 226-5 - England won by 5 wickets with 5 balls remaining

England blitzed their way to series victory in South Africa with the fourth highest successful run chase in T20 international history.

Captain Eoin Morgan equalled his own record for his country’s fastest half-century in the format - 21 balls, while Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler also made half-centuries, as the tourists ended their two-month stay with a five-wicket win at Centurion.

Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma gave South Africa a frantically fast start once again, the pair adding 84 in 7.4 overs before De Kock picked out Bairstow in the deep off Ben Stokes.

Bavuma followed not long after, bowled by a quicker delivery from Adil Rashid for 49, but the platform had been laid and the openers’ teammates made the most of the opportunity.

While Rassie van der Dussen could only add before being caught by Tom Curran off Ben Stokes, Heinrich Klaasen picked up where Bavuma and De Kock had left off.

Klaasen, brought into the side in place of Jon Jon Smuts, clattered four fours and four sixes as he raced to 66 from 34 deliveries. 

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Jonny Bairstow made 64

He and David Miller put on 64 in 5.1 overs as the Proteas refused to let up, and with Miller making 35 from 20 balls the home side finished on 222 for 6.

Jason Roy departed early in the chase, caught well by Tabraiz Shamsi diving forward at third man, as Roy threw his arms through the line of a Lungi Ngidi delivery, but Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler were quickly into their stride.

Buttler struck Dale Steyn down the ground for six and rattled along to his first half-century in any format on the tour of South Africa before miscueing a ramp off Dwaine Pretorius, but Bairstow continued on uninhibited.

The Yorkshireman also passed 50, his fourth in T20Is, and appeared to be strongarming England towards their target, only to misjudge the length of a ball from Andile Phehlukwayo and end up losing his middle stump.

When Dawid Malan, back in the side in place of an unwell Joe Denly, underedged Shamsi to De Kock for 11, South Africa looked to be favourites, but Morgan had other ideas.

The visiting skipper bombarded the crowd on the legside, harrumphing seven sixes and sharing in a stand of 61 for the fifth wicket with Stokes. 

His partner could not see out the chase, sending a catch down the throat of deep square leg off Ngidi on 22, but Morgan stayed it out to finish unbeaten on 57.

 

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