England survive late scare in Johannesburg to level ODI series

The tourists rediscovered something approaching their best form, following a miserable performance in the opening clash of the series and the washout in the second, frustrating their hosts with the ball

Johannesburg: England (257-8) beat South Africa (256-7) by two wickets

Scorecard

England beat South Africa by two wickets to level the three-match ODI series at 1-1 in the final game at the Bullring.

The tourists rediscovered something approaching their best form with the ball, following a miserable performance in the opening clash of the series and the washout in the second, to frustrate their hosts.

Adil Rashid returned figures of 3-51 as the Proteas were restricted to 256 for 7, with only Quinton de Kock and David Miller making contributions of note.

Both South African batsmen hit 69, with Miller unbeaten at the close, but the total seemed below par on a good deck in Johannesburg. And so it proved, as England got home with 40 balls to spare, but a late wobble - which saw them lose four wickets for 20 runs - made the chase more uncomfortable than it perhaps ought to have been.

Rashid, playing his first ODI since the World Cup final in July, seemed to be over his shoulder injury - the Yorkshire legspinner had an extra yard of pace in his approach to the wicket - and his slightly skiddier deliveries perplexed the South African middle order.

^{Adil Rashid was in good form for England}

Moeen Ali, restored to the side for the first time since the group-stage World Cup match against Australia at Lord's in June, claimed 1-42 and Saqib Mahmood took his first one-day international wicket to give their teammates the perfect platform to secure victory.

Jonny Bairstow made 43 from 23 balls at the top of the England innings to set the tone and, though Jason Roy and Eoin Morgan lost their wickets cheaply, the visitors strolled towards their target thanks to a fourth-wicket stand of 76 between Joe Denly and Joe Root.

Root was caught at leg slip off Tabraiz Shamsi one shy of his half-century but Denly pushed on with Tom Banton.

Banton, in only his second ODI innings, made a run-a-ball 32 and Denly reached his fourth fifty in the format but when both fell within the space of four deliveries - Denly caught in the deep and Banton nicking Beuran Hendricks through to Quinton de Kock - the Proteas sensed an unlikely turnaround.

Tom Curran soon followed, hacking to cover for five, to leave England 16 shy with three wickets remaining, while Rashid followed - caught behind off Lungi Ngidi with five needed. Moeen Ali settled nerves, however, making 17 not out to steer his team to victory.

The attentions of both sides will now turn to a T20I series, which is due to begin on Wednesday.

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