9.50pm: Right, we'll leave it there for tonight. Firdose Moonda's report will be updated here very shortly, and we'll have Vithushan Ehantharajah's view from Emirates Old Trafford with you before long, too. For now, it's goodnight from Ranjith, Miller and Matt, and we'll be back again for Sunday's decider -- with the small matter of T20 Blast Finals Day tomorrow.
Harry Brook says he is "pretty lost for words" and calls the start "phenomenal". He says: "With the batting line-up we've got, there's not many heights we can't reach. [Must-win today?] Every must-win game now leading up to that T20 World Cup is awesome preparation for us. [Salt?] There's going to be some tough decisions! We like headaches. It's always good to have them debates."
Aiden Markram is up. "Tough one," he says. "We started getting it wrong from the toss. That was on me. Two masterclasses up front from them. When you're put under that sort of pressure, it's hard to come back. Sometimes, it only lasts six or eight overs. Tonight, it lasted the full 20. You expect good wickets nowadays in T20s and there are world-class players all over the world. You need to have plans in place. [Sunday preparation?] I don't think we'll be training. It's been a busy tour. We'll put some minds together and have a casual conversation over a coffee. It's important as a team to never stop learning."
The player of the match is, shock horror, Phil Salt for his 141 not out. "That was really good fun. Obviously the personal milestone, but the fact that we got 300 and won by such a big margin, you can't really ask for much more. [Fast starts?] Sometimes, it's a case of reacting. I'll pick days when I want to jump-start someone... It's a bit of a balancing act. [Pitch?] Everyone knows it's a good wicket... I was really clear that the Powerplay was really important. [Beating Livingstone's record?] I don't want to rub it in, he's got a big day tomorrow."
9.38pm: That is a drubbing. England's highest-ever T20I total, their biggest win, and South Africa's heaviest defeat. The result was never in much doubt after Phil Salt and Jos Buttler's free-wheeling batting took England past 300, but their bowlers have dotted the Is and crossed the Ts to get the job done. Three wickets for Archer, two each for Curran, Dawson and Jacks, and one for Rashid. Markram got South Africa off to a decent start, and Fortuin had some run towards the end, but they were never really in the contest. The series stands at 1-1 ahead of a decider on Sunday at Trent Bridge... though the less we say about the weather forecast for that one, the better!
Archer is the second England player to take four catches in a men's T20I, and the first outfielder. Here's the proof.
Dan: "I think we can comfortably say that England won by an innings there"
Matt L: "In a game full of records, and accomplishments, please spare a thought for Tom Banton, he didn't Bat, Bowl, or even get a Catch." -- Yes, Brook ran straight over to him at the end and put his arm around him. Thanks for coming!
K Rabada c Archer b Dawson 9 (11m 4b 2x4 0x6) SR: 225
The required rate has ticked up past six runs per ball. England win via the mercy rule?
END OF OVER:16 | 2 Runs 2 Wkts | SA: 158/9 (147 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 9.87, RRR: 36.75)
- Lizaad Williams0 (2b)
- Kagiso Rabada9 (3b)
- Will Jacks1-0-2-2
- Adil Rashid4-0-48-1
Hat-trick ball for Will Jacks! Can he finish the job in style? Williams walks in. He had a rough night with the ball. Slip and leg slip in.
Will: ""They need 30 an over, let's give Will a bowl!" I'm getting village cricket flashbacks!"
KT Maphaka c Bethell b Jacks 0 (1m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0
Maphaka.
Ed: "Fortuin's highest score in international cricket"
BC Fortuin c †Buttler b Jacks 32 (16m 16b 3x4 2x6) SR: 200
ms: "nice to see Fortuin getting his eye in for the proper event of the weekend tomorrow at finals day..." -- Yes, due to hop on down to Birmingham tomorrow!
Just 149 needed off the last 30 balls. England throw the ball to Will Jacks.
END OF OVER:15 | 21 Runs | SA: 156/7 (149 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 10.40, RRR: 29.80)
- Bjorn Fortuin31 (14b)
- Kagiso Rabada8 (2b)
- Adil Rashid4-0-48-1
- Liam Dawson3-0-34-1
Rashid's night is over.
Slip in.
END OF OVER:14 | 15 Runs 1 Wkt | SA: 135/7 (170 runs required from 36 balls, RR: 9.64, RRR: 28.33)
- Kagiso Rabada8 (2b)
- Bjorn Fortuin10 (8b)
- Liam Dawson3-0-34-1
- Adil Rashid3-0-27-1
Philip M McCart: "There's a fat lady here asking for a mic"
Here's Rabada. No point blocking and nudging here.
T Stubbs c Archer b Dawson 23 (38m 25b 0x4 1x6) SR: 92
Shadlee: "What exactly is Stubbs trying to do?" -- The Tuk Tuk Academy has a new graduate... plenty of intent, but he just looks horribly out of form!
END OF OVER:13 | 3 Runs | SA: 120/6 (185 runs required from 42 balls, RR: 9.23, RRR: 26.42)
- Bjorn Fortuin3 (5b)
- Tristan Stubbs23 (24b)
- Adil Rashid3-0-27-1
- Jofra Archer3-0-25-3
CharlieJ: "can someone check in with TAK and see if he is happy now?"
Hypocaust: "Jofra Archer now has 20 wickets at an average of 18.55 in all formats for England this summer. This is the first time since 2019 that he has taken 20 wickets in an international season."
The required rate is now four runs per ball
Rashid.
david: "Seems like SA either win easily, or get totally obliterated going by their last few games"
Vishal S: "Jofra of 2025 is faster, better and leaner version of the 2019 version of Jofra" -- I might not go quite that far... but he's bowled seriously well in the past week.
