CARDIFF: South Africa won a rain-shortened first Twenty20 international by 14 runs after England failed to chase down a revised target of 69 off five overs in Cardiff on Wednesday.
England's batters tried to slog pretty much every delivery to the boundary but could only manage 54-5 at Sophia Gardens.
Rain initially reduced the match to a nine-overs-per-side contest and the Proteas, after being put into bat, made 97-5 off 7.5 overs before another heavy shower arrived in the Welsh capital, further truncating the game. Captain Aiden Markram top-scored with a 14-ball 28, while Donovan Ferreira (25 not out) and Dewald Brevis (23) chipped in.
"You need one or two guys to have a good cameo and you get a good score," Markram said.
England's DLS-adjusted target meant just one thing — try to smash the ball beyond the rope — and Phil Salt attempted to do that first ball, succeeding only in holing out to Kwena Maphaka at deep backward square off the returning Kagiso Rabada.
Only Jos Buttler got going, hitting 25 off 11 balls — including three sixes — before nicking behind Marco Jansen off an inside edge. England needed 26 off the last over to win and only made 11.
"You can't read into that too much," England captain Harry Brook said of the match.
The second T20 is in Manchester on Friday.
South Africa won the ODI series between the teams 2-1.