Key events
Preamble
Evening everyone and welcome to yet another international cricket series. Yes, just three days after England’s biggest win ever in one format, they’re switching to a different one – 20 overs a side rather than 50. The ball will still be white, but we can say with some certainty that England will not beat South Africa by 342 runs again. In fact, they’d probably settle for a win by the barest of margins.
Are England favourites? The ICC’s T20 team rankings would say so: they have England third in the world (behind only India and Australia), with South Africa fifth (behind New Zealand). But South Africa are on the up and have just seen off England in an ODI series. That 342-run thrashing wasn’t just the biggest victory ever, it was a Pyrrhic one too. And South Africa’s firepower, already formidable, may well be boosted tonight by the return of David Miller.
England are resting their ODI openers, Jamie Smith and the patently exhausted Ben Duckett, so it’s back to the future with Phil Salt and Jos Buttler. They could do with some runs and some street wisdom from their young captain, Harry Brook, who may even have been persuaded that he needs five proper bowlers. He can get there painlessly now that the selectors have finally recalled Sam Curran, who, if he brings his form from The Hundred and the Blast, should strengthen both England’s batting and their bowling, not to mention their ability to make you laugh with a slower ball.
Play starts at 6.30 BST, as long as the showers hold off. All being well I’ll be back soon with news of the toss and the teams.
