England beaten by SA in rain-reduced opening T20

First T20, Sophia Gardens

South Africa 97-5 (7.5 overs): Markram 28 (14); Wood 2-22

England 54-5 (5 overs): Buttler 25 (11); Jansen 2-18

South Africa won by 14 runs (DLS method)

Scorecard

England suffered a 14-run defeat by South Africa in a farcical rain-affected opening T20 at Cardiff.

A delayed start saw the match reduced to nine overs per side, and the Proteas blitzed 97-5 in 7.5 overs before another rain disruption.

England's target was revised to 69 in five overs, and with little choice but to attack from the outset, they reached 43-5 needing 26 from five balls.

From there, the recalled Sam Curran whacked a six to offer the hosts a glimmer of hope, but the tourists eventually closed out a comfortable win as England finished on 54-5 with two wickets apiece for Corbin Bosch and Marco Jansen.

Jos Buttler had kept England alive with 25 from 11, including three sixes, but they were left to rue top-order wickets as Phil Salt was caught at fine leg from the first ball of the chase, Jacob Bethell chipped to cover for seven and captain Harry Brook made a chaotic four-ball duck.

Earlier, Jofra Archer was replaced by Luke Wood in a late change, and the seamer removed Ryan Rickelton in the first over before captain Aiden Markram led the charge with 28 from 14 balls.

Dewald Brevis, who became the SA20's most expensive player in Tuesday's auction, made an entertaining 23 from 10 balls before he fell to the recalled Curran's first ball while Donovan Ferreira finished unbeaten with 25 from 11.

The three-match series continues at Old Trafford on Friday, where rain is also forecast.

England chose not to risk Archer on the sodden outfield, despite the fast bowler being named in the team 24 hours earlier, and his replacement Wood also removed Lhuan-dre Pretorius for two, though he was expensive, with 22 conceded from his two allocated overs.

Markram and Brevis then expertly targeted the unique dimensions of the Cardiff ground with its short straight boundaries, taking down spinners Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson with flat, powerful sixes.

England were lucky to not be punished further by dropping Markram - he was put down by Salt on 24 - as he was caught by Wood off Adil Rashid in the following over.

After the tourists reached 73 in six overs, Brevis was furious to be deceived by one of Curran's ultra-slow deliveries, clocked at just over 50mph, as he skewed a catch to backward point.

Tristan Stubbs played an audacious ramp for six which saw the ball fly out of the ground, but tried and failed a second time to be bowled by Jamie Overton for 13.

But Ferreira finished with his outrageous power which he perfected during Oval Invincibles' winning Hundred campaign, including a crucial six off what proved to be the last ball of their innings.

Ultimately, it was a game from which England learned very little, especially with the bat where their only option was to come out swinging, needing a run-rate of more than 13 per over from the beginning - it would have been the highest successful five-over chase in men's T20s.

Salt's miserable night continued as he fell to Kagiso Rabada's first ball and Bethell hit one six before departing one ball later.

Brook played and missed, attempted two ramp shots after which he fell over both times, before nicking behind off Bosch's medium pace.

Buttler played his own ramps and scoops to perfection, again utilising the shorter boundaries with three sixes, but Curran's 10 was the second highest contribution.

The former captain was caught behind from the last ball of the penultimate over bowled by Jansen to all-but end England's hopes before Tom Banton fell for five a ball later.