Record breaker Salt wants to be world’s best

Phil Salt has set his sights on becoming the “best in the world” as a T20 opener after smashing a record-breaking century in England’s 146-run victory over South Africa.

The 29-year-old lit up Old Trafford with an unbeaten 141 off 60 deliveries to not only shatter a host of individual records – most notably reaching three figures off just 39 balls to beat Liam Livingstone’s England record – but also propel his side beyond 300 for the first time in T20s.

England amassed 304-2, a record total in a T20I between two Test nations, in a blistering display of hitting before bowling South Africa out for 158 to level the series at 1-1 going into Sunday’s decider in Nottingham.

Salt was aggressive from ball one, immediately dispatching Marco Jansen for a trio of boundaries, and went on to find the rope no fewer than 23 times, including eight sixes, in his monster knock.

“Enjoying being there at the crease for as long as you can and just a will to impact the game, that’s how I see it,” Salt said.

“I want to take games as deep as possible while still batting at a high strike-rate. The two don’t often go hand in hand but that’s what I want to do as a player.

Whether he goes on to achieve that ambition or not, Salt may never have another night quite like this.

“To go and get 140, play the way he did, so convincingly, hardly mis-hit a ball, take the game on from ball one – it perfect game of cricket for him,” former England batter Dawid Malan told BBC Test Match Special.

Salt set a record after just six balls, with the 18 runs he scored off Jansen the most by an England batter in the first over of a T20I.

After being deprived of the strike by opening partner Jos Buttler for a while, he brought up his half-century off 19 deliveries and needed just 20 more to reach three figures.

His 39-ball hundred is the fastest by an England player, beating Liam Livingstone’s 42-ball ton against Pakistan in 2021.

In finishing unbeaten on 141, Salt also broke his own record of 119 (set versus West Indies in 2023) for the highest score for England men in the format and Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s overall record of 124 against India in 2018.

He has now scored four of England’s eight centuries in men’s T20Is, with Livingstone, Buttler, Alex Hales and Malan contributing one apiece.

Salt, dismissed for a golden duck in Cardiff on Wednesday, was quickly out of the blocks on home turf, hitting 18 runs off his first three balls to set the tone for England’s onslaught.

With Buttler also in fine form, England reached 100-0 after six overs, only two shy of South Africa’s 102-0 against West Indies in 2023 – a powerplay record for a match between Test nations.

“I want to put that stamp on [an innings],” Salt said. “In order to knock a man out of possession, you have to do something they can’t do.

“From early in my career, I looked at that and if I can be the most dangerous in the first 10, 15 balls of the game, that’s a unique tool. It’s something I’ve always worked on.”

While Salt’s innings stole the headlines, England captain Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell played valuable supporting knocks while Buttler was on course for a blistering century of his own before being caught for 83 from 30.

He was the early pace-setter in England’s innings, dominating the first-wicket partnership of 126 from 47, and bringing up his half-century off just 18 balls in the fifth over.

“I can’t turn into Jos Buttler overnight but the way he thinks around the game, that’s what I’ve tapped into the most,” Salt said.

“His consistent performances over the course of his career, that’s what I’ve aspired to be.”

Brook hailed Salt’s performance and said his side’s performance showcased their capability of being “the most dominant team in the world”.

“His ability to go out there and hit the first ball for four which is a risky shot and aerial after a golden duck the other night sums up the type of player he is,” Brook told Test Match Special.

“He is selfless and knows exactly what his role is – to go out and look to put their bowlers under pressure form the get go.