Ngidi clinches last-ball thriller

Lungi Ngidi took three wickets in the last over and successfully defended seven runs as South Africa won the first T20I against England by one run off the last ball in East London yesterday.

England skipper Eoin Morgan hammered two fours and a six in the penultimate over, which started with England needing 23 to eclipse South Africa's 177 for eight, but was caught off Beuran Hendricks in the last ball of the over. Ngidi then had Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali and Sam Curran caught and with England needing three runs off one ball, but they managed just one as Adil Rashid was run out trying to complete the second.

Morgan had hit 52 and opener Jason Roy a 38-ball 70 to set up the chase, but England lost their nerves at the end.

Earlier, South Africa's score rode on early partnerships between skipper Quinton de Kock and opener Temba Bavuma, who also built a 63-run second-wicket partnership with Rassie van der Dussen.

SCORES IN BRIEF

SOUTH AFRICA: 177 for 8 (Bavuma 43, De Kock 31; Jordan 2-28, Ali 1-22)

ENGLAND: 176 for 8 in 20 overs (Roy 70, Morgan 52; Ngidi 3-30, Phehlukwayo 2-32)

Result: South Africa won by 1 run.