Century for Salt on record-breaking night for England

Second T20, Old Trafford

England 304-2 (20 overs): Salt 141* (60), Buttler 83 (30)

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

England won by 146 runs; series 1-1

Phil Salt scored England’s fastest T20 century as the hosts posted a remarkable 304-2 on a record-breaking night at Old Trafford to level the series with an 146-run win over South Africa.

Salt reached three figures off just 39 balls, beating Liam Livingstone’s record of 42 balls against Pakistan in 2021, and finished unbeaten on 141 off 60 balls, surpassing Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s 124 as the highest individual score by an England batter in a T20 international.

His fourth T20 hundred contained 15 fours and eight sixes and propelled England to their highest total in the format and the highest score in a T20I between two full-member nations.

Jos Buttler played his part, blitzing 83 runs off 30 balls as part of a 126-run first-wicket partnership with Salt, while there were handy supporting knocks from Jacob Bethell (24 off 10) and captain Harry Brook, who brought out several of his trademark tumbling boundaries in an entertaining 41 not out (21 balls).

In reply, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton smacked 50 runs off 22 deliveries to briefly silence Old Trafford as South Africa threatened an unlikely chase.

However, Jofra Archer struck twice in the fourth over and later took a catch off Sam Curran to reduce South Africa to 58-3 and knock the stuffing out of their innings.

Archer finished with 3-25 while Curran returned economical figures of 2-11, although Bjorn Fortuin’s 16-ball 32 provided some late cheer for the visitors, who were bowled out for 158.

There were concerns about the weather before the second T20 but instead of the anticipated precipitation, it was raining boundaries in Manchester.

Salt, who was dismissed for a golden duck in Cardiff on Wednesday, set the tone for the evening with 18 runs off the first over, including three consecutive fours to start the innings, but was largely a passenger for the first seven overs as Buttler took charge.

The former captain smashed six fours and four sixes en route to an 18-ball half-century inside five overs and treated every South Africa bowler with equal disdain, pouncing on anything short and scoring for fun over mid-off to drive England to 100-0 at the end of the powerplay.

He rather gave away his wicket as a century beckoned, caught sweeping by Tristan Stubbs, but it did nothing to halt England’s momentum, with Salt seizing his opportunity to steal the show.

In the eighth over, he dispatched Lizaad Williams for two fours and two sixes to bring up a half-century of his own off 19 balls before hitting a further four fours off Kwena Maphaka as England reached a record 166-1 at the halfway mark.

He ran two off Kagiso Rabada to seal his record-breaking century in 13th over, struck a further seven boundaries during the second half of his innings, and enjoyed stands of 95 (41) and 83 not out (37) with Bethell and Brook, respectively, as England refused to take their foot off the gas.

It was, admittedly, a below-par bowling performance from South Africa. Four of their six bowlers conceded more than 15 runs per over and Rabada was responsible for four of his side’s no balls. Their desperation was clear when captain Markram brought himself on to bowl the 12th over and was struck for 19.

There’s been a lot of negativity around England’s white-ball performances in recent years, and much of it has been deserved.

Their 50-over World Cup defence ended in a dismal group exit in India in 2023 and they failed to win a match at this year’s Champions Trophy, which proved to be the final straw for Buttler’s captaincy.

Although they reached the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup, the manner of their exit – bowled out for 103 by eventual champions India – was uninspiring.

Away from tournaments, they’ve lost five of their past six ODI series, including a 2-1 defeat against South Africa earlier this month. Their victory in Southampton came with the series already lost.

And after losing by 14 runs in Cardiff on Wednesday, albeit in a farcical rain-affected encounter, they arrived in Manchester once again in must-win territory.

England responded with style, providing plenty of cheer to warm the crowd on a chilly September evening and plenty of positives for Brendon McCullum.

Their batters, for example, dismantled what is, on paper, a high-quality bowling attack, with each member of the top four scoring valuable runs. It’s worth remembering, they also have Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith to call on.

With the ball, Archer, who missed out on Wednesday due to the wet conditions, was among the wickets, showcasing all of his variations and his faith in his body with a sharp caught and bowled. Curran, in just his second outing since his recall, bagged two of his own.