Rilee Rossouw scored an unbeaten 96 from just 55 balls and Tabraiz Shamsi claimed 3-27 to lead South Africa to an impressive total of 207-3 and victory by 58 runs after England were dismissed for 149 after being asked to bat first in the second T20 International against England at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Thursday evening.
Rossouw’s glorious innings included 10 fours and five sixes during an innings of composure and controlled aggression during which he took advantage of the stadium’s short, straight boundaries with improvised straight drives against spinners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid for maximum reward.
England captain Jos Buttler again gave the run-chase a flying start with three sixes in his 29 from 14 balls before miscuing a slower ball from Andile Phehlukwayo to Reeza Hendricks at long off. Keshav Maharaj had Dawid Malan (5) caught by Quinton de Kock and Jason Roy’s miserable form continued when he holed out to Hendricks in the deep off Shamsi for 20 from 22 balls.
Moeen Ali was in destructive form with 28 from 17 balls but a miscued drive against Shamsi was brilliantly caught by a diving Maharaj at long-on and when Sam Curran (2) also slapped Shamsi to Maharaj for a simpler catch the total was 92-5 and South Africa appeared in control with 89 runs required from the final six overs.
Bairstow top-scored with 30 from 21 balls before slicing Rabada to Ngidi in the deep and when Liam Livingstone (18 off 10 balls) edged Phehlukwayo to de Kock the game was up.
It was an evening of redemption for both Shamsi (4-0-27-3) and Phehlukwayo (**) who endured a torrid outing in Bristol with figures of 3-0-49-3 and 4-0-63-1.
Playing just his second game for South Africa after a six-year hiatus Rossouw had the opportunity to reach a century with just six runs required from the final over bowled by seamer Chris Jordan but his ‘death over’ skills saw him concede just four runs and Rossouw was left to wonder what might have been.
Quinton de Kock (15) departed early after chipping an on-drive against Moeen to Roy but Hendricks and Rossouw added 73 for the second wicket to set up an intimidating platform at 112-1 in the 11th over.
Hendricks followed his fine 57 from 33 balls in the first game in Bristol on Wednesday with a similarly impressive 53 from 32 balls (3×4, 2×6) before a pick-up shot against paceman Richard Gleeson, to the longest boundary on the ground, was caught by Jonny Bairstow just inside the rope.
Often criticised for overly cautious starts in the past, Hendricks was bullish from the off smashing opening bowler Curran for a four and six off consecutive deliveries to set the tone for the innings after South Africa had been asked to bat first.
Heinrich Klaasen did all he could to maintain the momentum with a six and a four in his 19 from 10 balls before clothing a slog against Chris Jordan to Dawid Malan at cover. Tristan Stubbs hit a solitary six in his 15* from 12 balls following his eye-catching 72 from 28 balls in Bristol.
The hosts took a one-nil into the second game of the three match series courtesy of their commanding 41-run victory in Bristol 24 hours earlier but the third game, in Southampton on Sunday, will now be a decider.
England: Jason Roy, Jos Buttler (capt & wk), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Richard Gleeson, Reece Topley
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Rilee Rossouw, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller (capt), Tristan Stubbs, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi.