England wallop South Africa at World Twenty20

ENGLAND put themselves on course for a place in the ICC World Twenty20 semi-finals with a 39-run trouncing of South Africa in last night's Super Eight match at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

They cashed in on Kevin Pietersen's second successive half-century to post 168 for seven – a total South Africa never threatened to meet as spinners Michael Yardy and Graeme Swann took five big wickets for 55 between them.

England therefore remain unbeaten in Group E and, even if South Africa can see off champions Pakistan in St Lucia tomorrow, must simply avoid a wide-margin defeat against New Zealand later that day at the same venue to reach the last four.

Pietersen (53) shared a second-wicket stand of 94 in under 12 overs with Craig Kieswetter, with Michael Lumb gone early after Paul Collingwood had won the toss.

England were unable to convert the momentum of that partnership into a truly dominant total but were still well in advance of the runs put on the board in the day's earlier match between New Zealand and Pakistan on this same surface.

The Kiwis edged out Pakistan by one run, reaching 133 for seven and then restricting their opponents to 132 – with Salman Butt's unbeaten 67 off 54 balls proving in vain.