England lose to South Africa off final ball in 1st T20

England missed a run-out off the final ball as South Africa won the first Twenty20 international by three wickets in Cape Town. England made only 134-8 despite being well set on 50-1 after six overs, Jos Buttler top-scoring with 32 not out while spinner Imran Tahir took 4-21.

The hosts needed 15 runs from the final over and two off the last delivery. Chris Morris scampered two as bowler Reece Topley failed to collect Joe Root’s throw from long-off. Morris, who also produced a match-winning 62 off 38 balls in the fourth one-day international, finished with 17 not out off seven balls.

The defeat was England’s fourth in a row following their 3-2 reverse in the one-day series, but only their first loss in seven Twenty20 internationals. The second game of the two-match series takes places in Johannesburg on Sunday. That will be England’s last competitive match before their opening game of theWorld Twenty20 on 16 March. (BBC News, 2016)