Salt smashes century as England break records in huge T20 win over South Africa

MANCHESTER (Agencies): Opener Phil Salt smashed an unbeaten 141 from 60 balls in England’s mammoth total of 304 for two as the home side thrashed South Africa by 146 runs in the second Twenty20 international on Friday as records tumbled at Old Trafford. Having been sent into bat, the hosts attacked the bowling from the opening delivery as Salt posted a record T20 score for an England batsman, and his team scored the most runs ever by a full member nation in this format. South Africa were desperately poor with the ball and had to be perfect with the bat, but were never up with the rate and managed 158 all out in 16.1 overs as England levelled the series at 1-1 heading into Sunday’s decider in Nottingham. “It was really good fun, a personal milestone but also the fact we got to 300 and won by such a big margin, you cannot ask for much more,” Salt said. “It is a really good wicket in the powerplay and we knew it might slow up a bit later on. It is my home ground and I knew the powerplay would be important, so I took it on.” Jos Buttler was the initial aggressor for the home side as he raced to 83 from 30 deliveries before he was out attempting a sweep off spinner Bjorn Fortuin.

England had already broken their record for most runs in a T20 powerplay with 100 from six overs, and managed the highest score in all T20 internationals at the 10-over mark with 166-1. Salt got to 100 in 39 deliveries, breaking Liam Livingston’s previous England record of reaching three figures in 42 balls, and then beat his own record of 119 for the team. England easily surpassed their previous highest total of 267-2 against the West Indies in 2023 and kept going as a mixture of sublime batting and woeful bowling propelled them along. It is the most runs conceded by South Africa in T20s and ended up as their biggest loss in the format. England were much smarter with the ball and their change of pace and more disciplined lines meant South Africa, needing to go in sixth gear, were unable to build momentum with the bat. “It was a tough one,” South Africa captain Aiden Markram said. “We started getting it wrong from the toss, that one is on me. “Two masterclasses up front from them and when you are put under that kind of pressure, it is hard to pull it back. We will have to come up with some good plans and take it on again on Sunday.”

Brief scores:

England 304 for 2 (Salt 141 not out, Buttler 83) beat South Africa 158 (Markram 41, Archer 3-25) by 146 runs.