South Africa Crushes England by 90 Runs to Win T20 Series

England's batsman Reece Topley, left, with teammate Jonny Bairstow, second, watch as South Africa's players celebrates at the end of the 3rd T20 Cricket match between England and South Africa in Southampton, England, Sunday, July 31, 2022. South Africa beat England by 90 runs to win the series 2-1. (AP Photo/David Cliff)

SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — The new England captain Jos Buttler saw his team lose by a crushing 90 runs to South Africa on Sunday in their Twenty20 international decider to bring a difficult white-ball summer to an end with another low for the hosts.

Set 192 to win in the third T20 at Southampton, England was dismissed for 101 and suffered its joint-biggest defeat in this format. England also went a first home summer since 2013 without winning a limited-overs series.

South Africa won the series 2-1.

It continues the tough start to life as England’s white-ball captain for Buttler, who replaced Eoin Morgan in June and saw trusted ally Ben Stokes retire in shock circumstances from 50-over cricket a month later.

India had already won two limited-overs series against the hosts by that point and this loss to South Africa, which enjoyed half-centuries by Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram in a total of 191-5, leaves the home side low on confidence before this winter’s T20 World Cup.

Buttler and new head coach Matthew Mott do at least have seven T20s penciled in for September away to Pakistan and the duo will hope confidence can be repaired there before attention fully turns to Australia where England may suddenly not be among the favorites to lift silverware.

Defeat in Cardiff on Thursday had set up a winner-take-all clash at the Ageas Bowl where the new captain again won the toss and fielded first, which looked a wise decision when the recalled David Willey sent Quinton De Kock back for a three-ball duck.

Rilee Rossouw responded with an entertaining knock of 31, which included four boundaries off a single Chris Jordan over, but was accounted for by Moeen Ali after the first of two small rain delays in Hampshire.

South Africa went six overs without a boundary during the middle part of its innings, but Hendricks remained busy with a succession of singles and twos and found able support in Markram, who was back in the T20 side for the first time since last year’s World Cup.

Hendricks did eventually move through the gears before his third fifty of the series ended on 70 while visiting captain David Miller blitzed 22 off nine balls only to see his fun come to an end via the excellent Willey, who claimed two scalps at the death.