Morris heroics sink England in last-ball thriller

England soon had good reason to lose their collective cool when, after a promising second-wicket partnership of 50 in five overs, they lost both protagonists to successive deliveries.

The men suffered a final-ball defeat in the first of their two-match series. It wasn’t a surprise as usually at the Wanderers it is easy to chase with the small boundaries. England would have the same lineup as of the last game.

The tourists’ loss of three late wickets in eight balls was a mere blip, compared with South Africa’s early troubles after they were put in.

The mandate will be clear: Get as many runs as possible on the board if batting first and bowl as cunningly as possible if not.

Eoin Morgan came in at number four looking to rebuild the innings but ran out his partner Hales straight away for sixteen when he called him for a second run but left him stranded.

Out-of-favour England batsman Kevin Pietersen is reportedly not considering playing for his birth country South Africa.

“We’ve been on the wrong side of it, which isn’t nice”, he added.

Morgan and Buttler therefore found themselves starting again without a run between them. The Delhi Daredevils, who paid over US$1-million for his services in the 2016 Indian Premier League, will feel they have made a good purchase.

England had reached 157 for three and seemed set for a total well in excess of 200. Rilee Rossouw, David Miller and David Wiese all fell leaving Morris and tailender Abbott to get 21 off the last two overs and 15 off the final over.

Strauss had cited a “massive trust issue” between him and the sacked batsman as the reason behind the decision to not select him for the 2015 Ashes series, which England won by 3-2. South Africa aren’t likely to tinker too much with the combination they had on Friday, and with Quinton de Kock being rested as a precautionary measure, AB de Villiers is likely to keep his spot at the top of the order. England bowlers didn’t really have an answer and de Villers was producing a magic innings.

Amla brought up his fifty in the eleventh over off 27 deliveries. And Amla now looks to repeat his heroics at the other end.

Television cameras showed Roy smashing his bat into a post in the players’ tunnel between the pitch and the dressing-rooms.

Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s T20 captain, admitted: “We got out of jail big time, the million dollar man’s done it again”.

Having restricted England to 134-8 at Newlands, South Africa toiled in their chase and needed 15 from Reece Topley’s final over.