12/02Result
1st T20I (N), England tour of South Africa at East London, Feb 12 2020
South Africa won by 1 run
Player of the Match
Lungi Ngidi
Lungi NgidiSouth Africa
12/02Result
1st T20I (N), England tour of South Africa at East London, Feb 12 2020
South Africa won by 1 run
Player of the Match
Lungi Ngidi
Lungi NgidiSouth Africa

END OF OVER:
20 | 5 Runs 3 Wkts | ENG: 176/9 (2 runs required, RR: 8.80)

  • Chris Jordan0 (0b)
  • Lungi Ngidi4-0-30-3
  • Beuran Hendricks3-0-33-2

7.55pm So, that'll do for tonight. What a remarkable contest that was. England can't help but keep their contests interesting at the moment. Up with this sort of thing, and huge congratulations to South Africa for a massively uplifting win. Matt Roller's report is ready to roll... from Valkerie and myself, good night and see you in Durban for a Valentine's Day special!

Quinton de Kock. "Interesting towards the end there... it was very tight, but we knew we had to keep to our basics, here in East London it gets really slow and tough to bat on in the last five overs. I was still calm the whole way, win or lose, you can't control, but the way we went about it pleased me."

"Temba batted really well for us, great to see him playing like this. We will enjoy tonight, then plan for the second game, stay ruthless and do the right things."

Lungi Ngidi is the Player of the Match. "It wasn't a great day at Johannesburg, but here it's not over until the last ball is bowled. Run in hard as you can. hit your length, and all of a sudden their team was on the back foot. Very fast-paced game, but it's about how you bounce back. I didn't panic under pressure, they seemed to be cruising but my job was to get wickets."

7.47pm Time for some presentations. Here's Eoin Morgan: "Outstanding game of cricket, experiences like this are so valuable as a team, you learn more about both sides under pressure. Both sides left everything on the field, but we can make up more than that. We were in a commanding position but Ngidi changed the game in overs 18 and 20.

"Roy is a gamechanger, the top three is three of the finest white-ball batsmen we've ever produced."

"With all the games I've played I'd have liked to see it through, but I'll continue with my method, I've enjoyed my cricket thanks to the guys I'm playing with. It's been thoroughly enjoyable."

7.40pm What remarkable scenes. England look rather stunned, but of all the close ones to lose, I suspect they wouldn't swap this for other recent cliffhangers!

James : "Why should Morgan's team mates have closed it out? Lower order and new to the crease. Not easy. " Moeen is better than lower order, but I agree it wasn't easy, especially against a bowler in the zone quite like Ngidi. They lost six wickets for 24 ... and four wickets for five!

7.36pm And breathe. What an astonishing contest. South Africa got off to a flyer, England clawed them back. England got off to a flyer, South Africa clawed them back. And in a pulsating atmosphere at Buffalo Park, the hosts sealed a thriller! For the third time in three formats on this tour, South Africa strike first blood. But can they close this one out in games two and three?

Jamie: "Great innings overall from Morgan but massively tainted by that last shot. He'd broken the back and just needed singles...why oh why go for the Hollywood ending? " He will be fuming with himself. But his team-mates should have closed it out from there...

Tiaan: "Ngidi you absolute beast!!!"

Brett "Fish": "3.36am in the Philippines and worth every rollercoaster moment. Ngidi you beauty. All of the #ProteaFire "

19.6
W
Ngidi to Rashid, 1 run, OUT, inside-edged drive, into the leg-side ... it's one run, can it be two for the Super Over? No, it can't! The shy comes in, Rashid is dead in the water, and Lungi Ngidi's offcutter pays rich dividends! South Africa defend seven off the final over, to win by one run!

AU Rashid run out 1 (3m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

Gosh. Cricket. Daft sport. Go on then, it's the era of the Super Over ... Forecaster has lost the plot, much like England

19.5
W
Ngidi to Ali, OUT, bowled him! A pinpoint off-stump yorker! Moeen plays all round it! The ball dips beneath his loose wafty nothing stroke, in fact he turned it into a yorker with a gallop to the pitch. He hadn't bargained on the offcutter, which perhaps he should have seen coming. And now it's all on Rashid!

MM Ali b Ngidi 5 (15m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

3 off 2.. I've heard that somewhere before...

19.4
2
Ngidi to Ali, 2 runs, the cheeky quicker ball, Moeen is beaten on the flick to leg, but it's worked out well for him, he's got no pace on his whip, and that's dribbled slowly enough for them to come back for two. But de Kock reviews! Was that adjacent, nope, inside edge onto the knee-roll
19.3
0
Ngidi to Ali, no run, offcutter, and dribbles past a wild swing to leg! A priceless dot! It's 5 from 3!

Jordan. He hits a long ball ... but best not hit into the breeze eh ...? Moeen on strike for now..

MikeB: "Given the speed of his batting in the tests, perhaps England should have sent Mark Wood up the order!!!" Indeed. Seeing it like a planet!

19.2
W
Ngidi to Curran, OUT, in the slot, Curran takes on the midwicket fence, but the wind, the wind! That's gone high, high, high into the floodlights, but sticks in the breeze, and plops into Miller's hands in front of the scoreboard! Ngidi flings his hands high... he's still got a chance to be the hero!

TK Curran c Miller b Ngidi 2 (3m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

Tasmeem: "Super over, anybody..??" Well, if you insist!

19.1
2
Ngidi to Curran, 2 runs, on the legs, flicked with intent behind square, and they hustle back for the second. An important two to steady the nerves...

So, well played skipper, but he's still shaking his head in the dug-out. Now then, TC, can you take this home? He's seen off a few in the Big Bash of late...

END OF OVER:
19 | 16 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG: 171/6 (7 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 9.00, RRR: 7.00)

  • Moeen Ali3 (2b)
  • Beuran Hendricks3-0-33-2
  • Lungi Ngidi3-0-25-1
18.6
W
Hendricks to Morgan, OUT, holes out to wide long-on, but is it too late? Morgan curses, he didn't need the big shot, but was lured by the full length... cripes, that's close to a no-ball, but I think he's okay... Just!

EJG Morgan c Bavuma b Hendricks 52 (50m 34b 7x4 1x6) SR: 152.94

18.5
6
Hendricks to Morgan, SIX, full again, pace on this time, pelted over deep cover for six! Wow, Morgan rushes to a 32-ball fifty, and has broken this game in two!
18.4
4
Hendricks to Morgan, FOUR, Morgan pounds the drive! That's a huge strike, and completely turns the tables. Attempted yorker, misses the slot, flogged through the covers!
18.3
4
Hendricks to Morgan, FOUR, too short, put away behind square! There's the hugely needed boundary! Dragged down, and Morgan bisects the fielders behind square
18.2
1
Hendricks to Ali, 1 run, in the blockhole, Moeen pounds a drive to long-on ... well bowled again. The rate is over two a ball now...
18.1
1
Hendricks to Morgan, 1 run, right up to the toes, clipped to long-on. Just the single. England need something and quickly...

END OF OVER:
18 | 5 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG: 155/5 (23 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.61, RRR: 11.50)

  • Moeen Ali2 (1b)
  • Eoin Morgan37 (29b)
  • Lungi Ngidi3-0-25-1
  • Beuran Hendricks2-0-17-1

Forecaster plummets to 27.7% ... make of that what you will!

17.6
2
Ngidi to Ali, 2 runs, enough width to free the hands, but the sweeper is set back at deep point and limits the damage to a couple. South Africa steal a march ...

AwaliCamel: "An extraordinary stat - Stoke's highest T20I score is just 38!" Crumbs!

17.5
1
Ngidi to Morgan, 1 run, back of a length, outside off, another cramped cut to point. Just the single. This is a pivotal over if he can finish it off...

Now then Moeen ... this is your stage now...

17.4
W
Ngidi to Stokes, OUT, slapped to wide long-on, and Stokes is gone! Ngidi lands the big fish with a very cunning slower ball, 115kph, offcutter, on a very wide line, forcing Stokes to fetch it and he can't connect properly!

BA Stokes c Miller b Ngidi 4 (11m 7b 0x4 0x6) SR: 57.14

17.3
1
Ngidi to Morgan, 1 run, hauled to the leg side, picked up from outside off
17.2
1
Ngidi to Stokes, 1 run, reverses the hands for a pull to backward point, into position early but couldn't quite nail the angle
17.1
0
Ngidi to Stokes, no run, a massive wind-up at a length ball outside off. Ngidi thinks there's an edge on his off-cutter, but nope, nothing there

28 from 18 ... it's tight, but just in England's favour with three boundaries ... Ngidi's back

END OF OVER:
17 | 11 Runs | ENG: 150/4 (28 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.82, RRR: 9.33)

  • Eoin Morgan35 (27b)
  • Ben Stokes3 (4b)
  • Beuran Hendricks2-0-17-1
  • Andile Phehlukwayo4-0-32-2
16.6
4
Hendricks to Morgan, FOUR, short, hauled over the leg side, that's found the gap at fine leg! A flurry of bat, sufficient connection, and England are on the move again
16.5
1
Hendricks to Stokes, 1 run, pulled round the corner, so nearly scutters past fine leg, but just too much bat on the stroke

Match Coverage

All Match News

England 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st19JJ RoyJC Buttler
2nd72JM BairstowJJ Roy
3rd41EJG MorganJJ Roy
4th5JL DenlyEJG Morgan
5th15EJG MorganBA Stokes
6th19MM AliEJG Morgan
7th2MM AliTK Curran
8th2MM AliCJ Jordan
9th1AU RashidCJ Jordan