Cricket: England fall short in bid to beat rain

By IAN PARKES
Published on 11/09/2012 00:29

England’s second NatWest International Twenty20 against South Africa was abandoned after the weather allowed only one short, frantic session at Old Trafford.

England were 29 for two after 4.1 overs of their reply to South Africa’s 77 for five in a match reduced to nine overs per side when steady rain began to fall. A result would have been recorded had another five balls been bowled – and England would have won had they added another 13 – but South Africa will still lead the series 1-0 heading to the third match at Edgbaston.

The match had been delayed by two and a quarter hours by earlier rain but there was still a certain familiarity to South Africa’s batting as Hashim Amla again dominated. The prolific batsman proved his mastery of English bowling covers all formats by cracking seven fours in an unbeaten 47 from 30 balls.

Amla, batting at much higher tempo but with all his usual authority, opened the batting and it was not until the fourth over that England started to slow the rate with the introduction of Graeme Swann. Amla had a reprieve when he was dropped by Eoin Morgan off Swann but the bowler himself showed how it should be done by catching JP Duminy one-handed next ball.

Jacques Kallis had a fortunate escape when one shot landed just short of Dernbach but finished unbeaten on 13.