A breathtaking half-century from Eoin Morgan inspired England to their first-ever Twenty20 international victory over South Africa at the Wanderers. The unorthodox left-hander struck an unbeaten 85 off just 45 balls, the highest-ever score by an Englishman in the shortest form of the game, as the tourists grabbed a dramatic one-run victory. Morgan's brilliance helped England up to 202-6 from their 20 overs, and with South Africa slightly behind the run rate on 127-3 with seven overs remaining, heavy rain arrived with the hosts one-run shy of the required Duckworth-Lewis total. With rain lingering in the air shortly before the abandonment, England captain Paul Collingwood chose James Anderson to bowl what proved to be the final over of the match. And with Albie Morkel and AB de Villiers only able to muster six runs from it, South Africa finished agonisingly short of the par total required. As well as catching the eye tactically, Collingwood (57 off 32 balls) also shone with the bat during a scintillating 98-run partnership with Morgan off just 55 balls. The stand proved the perfect counter-attack after England had lost opener Joe Denly to a questionable lbw decision with the first ball of the match. Alastair Cook made just 11 on his return to the Twenty20 side, but it was Jonathan Trott's classy 33 off 25 balls that sparked England into life. Morgan smashed seven fours and five sixes and Collingwood helped himself to four almighty sixes as the Wanderers crowd ducked for cover. The final 202-6 total is England's highest-ever in Twenty20 internationals. Having chased down 205 at this venue against West Indies in 2007, South Africa openers Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman strode to the middle with genuine hopes of completing another mammoth chase. Skipper Smith smashed 41 off 23 balls and Bosman 58 from 42 during a blistering 97-run partnership inside nine overs. However, Luke Wright dismissed Smith and Graeme Swann accounted for Bosman soon after as England clawed their way back into the match. Sajid Mahmood (1-31), returning to the England side after a two-and-a-half-year absence, then picked up the prize scalp of JP Duminy to put England back in the ascendancy. Morkel and De Villiers failed to find immediate fluency at the start of their innings, and they were made to pay the price as the heavens opened with the Proteas one run short.Blistering
