Salt and Archer steal the show for England as records tumble in South Africa thrashing
Even in this era of ultra-aggressive hitting, 304 for two is a decent score in most 50-over matches. But in a T20? Absurd.
But that is the score England posted in 20 overs here, on their way to a win by a remarkable 146 runs, their largest margin of victory in T20s. After the shortened “shambles” at Sophia Gardens came the shellacking at Old Trafford: this series has a decider at Trent Bridge on Sunday, thanks to the unforgettable batting of Phil Salt and Jos Buttler.
Salt made 141 not out, his fourth T20 international century, while Buttler smoked 83 from 30 balls – half of which went to the boundary – in their opening stand of 126. Salt smashed the first three balls for four in a tone-setting opening over of 18, and they scored 100 from the six-over powerplay. England only just let up that electric pace to cross 300 in the final over of the innings. They hit 30 fours and 18 sixes, which meant there were almost twice as many boundaries (48) than dot balls (25) in their innings. “We started getting it wrong from the toss,” smiled Aiden Markram, who had chosen to bowl first.
A total of 300 has been scaled twice before in T20 internationals, but never in a match between two ICC full-member nations. In 2024, Zimbabwe whacked the might of the Gambia about for 344 for four in Nairobi, and a year earlier Nepal scored 314 for three against Mongolia in the cricketing hotbed of Hangzhou, China. The closest two full members have come to 300 was India’s 297 for six against Bangladesh at Hyderabad in 2024.
“Honestly, no is the answer,” said Salt, when asked if he ever thought 300 would be scaled. “I’ve played in some IPL games where I feel like we’ve gone bananas all the way through and ended with 270. It’s a hell of an achievement.”
When England met the West Indies earlier this summer, their openers were their ODI pair Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith, perhaps because Salt was on paternity leave. Duckett and Salt have been rested now, but surely Salt must stay at the top of the order for next year’s World Cup in India, and there is a good case that Buttler should join him, even if he usually bats first drop these days. “We like headaches,” reflected Harry Brook of a problem that can wait.
They are a complementary pair. Just as here, you can never criticise Salt’s intent. Buttler, six years his senior, is wiser and more calculated, picking his targets. Salt brings fire – he picked a fight with the 19-year-old quick Kwena Maphaka here – and Buttler ice. How the Lancashire fans here on Friday night must wish they were available for their county at Blast Finals Day on Saturday.
Four T20 international hundreds is an outstanding achievement. This was Salt’s first not against the West Indies, but no other England batsman has more than one and alone Salt has half of this country’s men’s T20 international hundreds. Of the eight, this was the fastest (from 39 balls) and, by a country mile, the biggest: England’s previous highest was Salt’s 119 in Trinidad in 2023. Globally, only Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell have five in the format. Salt’s goals are lofty. “I want to be the best in the world at this. That’s the goal,” he said.
For all England’s excellence, South Africa were a mess. Shukri Conrad, the coach, did not mince his words: “Our attack was way off, bereft of ideas, and lost its discipline. It’s no surprise they got to 300… An abject performance, really not good enough.”
Lizaad Williams’s three overs cost 23, 23 and 16. Even Kagiso Rabada was not immune, leaking 70 from his four overs, including four no-balls and two wides. By comparison, Bjorn Fortuin’s two for 52 looked a tidy effort. Fortuin picked up Buttler, who was caught at deep backward-square, and Jacob Bethell, caught at long-on. Out came Brook to play some of the most staggering shots of all, including his tumbling ramp. England did not need to call on the services of Tom Banton, Will Jacks or Sam Curran. At least the latter pair got a bowl.
South Africa made it halfway to their target, but not much further, as they were condemned to the third heaviest defeat in a match between full members, with 23 balls unused.
They reached 50 in the fourth over, but by the end of the fifth, Jofra Archer had dismissed Ryan Rickelton and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, and Sam Curran had outfoxed Dewald Brevis. Having also picked up the dangerous Donovan Ferreira, Curran finished with figures of 2-0-11-2, by far the best economy figures on a night of batting carnage, on what has been an excellent return to international cricket. Jacks got in on the act too, two wickets in as many balls as the tail slogged and the crowd filtered out.
For all that England’s white-ball cricket has been on a steady, schedule-related slide in recent years, this was the second reminder in a week (the first came at Southampton in Sunday’s final ODI) that they are still capable of the sublime in the shorter formats. “With a batting lineup like ours, there are not many heights we can’t reach,” said Brook. This was indeed a statement showing.
[Source: Daily Telegraph]
