Jonny Bairstow made a dashing 60 not out as England thrashed SA by nine wickets in the first Twenty20 international at Southampton on Wednesday. England, set just 143 to win, reached their target for the loss of only one wicket, with 33 balls left. Opener Alex Hales was 47 not out, his unbroken second-wicket stand with Bairstow worth 98 runs. But the foundations for a victory, which put England 1-0 up in this three-match series, were laid by their bowlers. They restricted SA to 142 for three after Proteas skipper AB de Villiers won the toss. De Villiers made 65 not out and Farhaan Behardien an unbeaten 64 in an innings where fast bowler Mark Wood took two for 36. The fourth-wicket pair’s unbroken partnership was worth 110 runs after they came together with SA 32 for three — which represented a recovery after they had slumped to seven for two. But SA’s total still looked short of a competitive score on what is usually a good batting pitch. England new-ball duo David Willey and Wood b...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.