JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 14: Eoin Morgan played a stunning innings of 85 not out off 45 balls as England won a rain-affected first Twenty20 international against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium on Friday.

England piled up 202/6 and won by one run according to the Duckworth/Lewis method when rain stopped play with South Africa on 127/3 after 13 overs.

The left-handed Morgan and captain Paul Collingwood shrugged off a poor start and launched a savage assault on the South African bowlers in a fourth wicket partnership of 98 off 55 balls.

South African skipper Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman batted equally aggressively in an opening stand of 97 off 55 balls which threatened to take the game away from England.

But South Africa lost three wickets in successive overs as rain started to fall.

With both teams consulting the Duckworth/Lewis charts, Collingwood brought on James Anderson, his best bowler, in the 13th over. AB de Villiers and Albie Morkel could manage only six runs and were one short of the par score when rain ended the match at the end of the over.

Collingwood hit 57 off 32 balls, with three fours and four sixes, while Morgan slammed seven fours and five sixes, including one hit off Dale Steyn that sailed over the square leg boundary and out of the ground, landing in a block of flats.

England lost Joe Denly to the first ball of the match, bowled by Charl Langeveldt, and Alastair Cook followed in the fourth over.

Former South Africa under-19 player Jonathan Trott started England’s recovery with an impressive 33 off 25 balls, hitting Steyn for four successive boundaries, before he was run out.

— AFP