Brilliant Bairstow guides England to victory

Bairstow won it with back-to-back boundaries to take England to 183 for five and past South Africa’s 179 for six with four balls to spare.

Despite Bairstow’s boundary hitting, England was behind the game through most of its chase, until the 17th over. When left-arm seamer Beuran Hendricks came on to bowl, Bairstow and captain Eoin Morgan plundered 28 runs.

That changed the complexion completely at a fan-free Newlands, with England needing 51 runs from 24 balls before the over and just 23 from 18 after it.

Morgan fell for 12 in the next over to a catch at mid-wicket off Lungi Ngidi, but England kept its head. Bairstow kept smashing boundaries, after being given the opening. Bairstow hit nine fours and four sixes and was England’s match-winner after being shifted from opener to No.4. Sam Curran, who took three for 28 with the ball to lead England’s bowling attack, helped out with the bat with a six of his own at the end, and was 7 not out.

BRIEF SCORES: South Africa 179/6 in 20 overs (F du Plessis 58, S Curran 3/28) lost to England 183/5 in 19.2 overs (J Bairstow 86*)