England cruise to record T20 victory over Proteas

England piled on a mammoth 304/2, only the third time a team has crossed the 300-run mark in T20I history. Salt smashed a career-best 141 off 60 balls, including 15 fours and 8 sixes, while Jos Buttler blazed 83 from just 30 balls before falling to Bjorn Fortuin.

The Proteas bowlers were wayward and ineffective from the start. Marco Jansen was taken apart in the opening over, and Kagiso Rabada followed with an equally expensive second. Rabada finished with two wides and four no-balls, while Lizaad Williams also bowled three wides. Only Fortuin and young Kwena Maphaka offered any control.

Englandâ™s total featured 30 fours and 18 sixes, with South Africa failing to contain the run flow in all but two overs.

In reply, the Proteas briefly fought back through Aiden Markram (41 off 20) and Donovan Ferreira (23 off 11), but Englandâ™s bowlers â” led by Sam Curran and Jofra Archer â” maintained tight lines and applied pressure throughout.

Curran dismissed both Brevis and Ferreira with clever slower bouncers, while Archer took a sharp caught-and-bowled to remove Jansen. Englandâ™s control with the ball stood in stark contrast to South Africaâ™s erratic effort.

The series is now tied 1â-1, with the decider set for Sunday in Nottingham.

Second T20, Old Trafford

England 304-2 (20 overs): Salt 141* (60); Fortuin 2-52

South Africa 158 (16.1 overs): Markram 41 (20); Archer 3-25

England won by 146 runs; series 1-1

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