England thrash South Africa after Phil Salt heroics takes them past 300 barrier

Phil Salt’s record-breaking century set England on the path to their first 300-plus T20 total as they thrashed South Africa by 146 runs to take the three-match series to a decider.

Salt’s scorching 39-ball ton was England’s quickest in any format and he also recorded their greatest T20 individual score with 141 not out off 60 deliveries to underpin an eye-popping 304 for two.

This was the third best T20 total of all-time and the highest involving two Test nations, aided by Jos Buttler’s rollicking 83 off 30 balls and cameos from Jacob Bethell (26) and Harry Brook (41no).

But Salt’s fourth T20 ton – no other Englishman has more than one – on his home ground of Emirates Old Trafford was the highlight before South Africa crumbled to 158 from 16.1 overs, with Jofra Archer collecting three for 25.

Salt dropped a catch and made a golden duck in Wednesday’s rain-ruined defeat at Cardiff, while it is unclear whether he remains a first-choice opener amid competition from Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett.

With those two rested for this series, Salt proved his credentials in staggering fashion, cutting, whipping and driving the first three balls for four after England had lost the toss before ending Marco Jansen’s opening over with a sumptuous straight blow for the first of his eight sixes.

Buttler was even more pedal to the metal in an 18-ball fifty as Lizaad Williams, Bjorn Fortuin and Kagiso Rabada failed to stem the tide, with England clocking an even 100 from the powerplay, another record.

Buttler first threatened Liam Livingstone’s 42-ball benchmark, made in 2021, for the fastest England century but he miscued a sweep off Fortuin into the deep to end a 126-run opening stand in 7.5 overs.

Salt, who missed the 3-0 win over the West Indies in June on paternity leave, was not so charitable, continuing to pierce the in-field and pepper the boundary rope as England reached 166 at halfway.

South Africa had few answers as even attack leader Rabada was out of sorts, leaking an eye-watering 70 runs, including 23 in a 10-ball third over replete with no-balls and wides. He was hit for six by Salt, who edged fine to go to 99 before a couple into the deep took him to three figures.

Left-arm seamer Kwena Maphaka found some success with slower balls into the wicket while Bethell holed out to give Fortuin a second wicket, but England captain Brook found the boundary five times in six deliveries to provide ample support to his senior partner.

Salt offered one chance in the penultimate over. Having belted Jansen over long-off, he attempted to crush a low full toss over deep midwicket but while Maphaka pouched the chance, the fielder stepped on the boundary rope before releasing the ball.

England needed 16 from the last over to get to 300 and another couple of Rabada no-balls helped them over the line, Salt fittingly the batter to get them there having earlier helped himself to another six off the quick.

Only Zimbabwe with 344 against the Gambia in October last year and Nepal, who piled up 314 over Mongolia two years ago, have made more in this format than England’s destructive efforts on Friday.

A tall order awaited the tourists and they had little option but to go for broke. Proteas captain Aiden Markram belted Luke Wood out the ground and top-scored with 41 off 20 balls but the wickets tumbled thick and fast.

Archer, whipped out of the firing line 48 hours earlier because of slippery conditions underfoot, took two in three balls, with Ryan Rickelton and Lhuan-dre Pretorius miscuing pulls.

There were also a couple of wickets apiece for left-arm seamer Sam Curran and spinners Liam Dawson and Will Jacks, with South Africa never threatening to run England close, and the teams now head to Trent Bridge on Sunday for a winner-takes-all showdown.