England’s second NatWest IT20 against South Africa went down to the wire as the visitors won a thrilling match by just three runs.
The hosts restricted the Proteas to 174/8 in front of a packed house at Taunton – captain AB de Villiers top scoring with a rapid 46 off 20 balls – while debutant Tom Curran starred with figures of 3/33.
Despite a swashbuckling 67 off 45 balls for opener Jason Roy alongside 47 for Jonny Bairstow, a middle-order collapse saw England fall three runs short of victory after 20 overs.
The series will go down to a winner-takes-all decider at Cardiff on Sunday.
As promised, captain Eoin Morgan shuffled the pack, bringing in debutants Curran and Liam Livingstone, as well as Liam Plunkett. Mason Crane, Mark Wood and Alex Hales were the players to step aside.
Surrey star Curran immediately impressed with the ball taking a wicket with just his second international delivery, opener Reeza Hendricks bottom edging onto his stumps. Cue wild celebrations from the 22-year-old.
JJ Smuts and Mangaliso Mosehle fought back in a 32-run partnership before Liam Plunkett struck, his slower ball bouncer evading the latter who feathered through to Jos Buttler for 15.
Proteas skipper AB de Villiers showed his intent from the off, crunching 18 off the tenth over before losing partner Smuts (45) to a Liam Dawson full toss.
De Villiers continued to accelerate, getting down on one one knee to Willey and powering a huge six over his shoulder and into the River Tone. But there was relief for England as he miscued a slog straight into the hands of skipper Morgan in the covers the very next ball.
Curran took the second and third wickets of a brilliant debut in the 19th over, Chris Morris heaving his slower ball straight into the safe hands of Roy at long-on before bowling Andile Phehlukwayo with a perfect yorker to finish with maiden figures of 4-0-33-3.
Chris Jordan finished well at the death, trapping Fabien Behardien lbw, and England were set 175 to win the series.
