The series is currently levelled 1-1 © Getty A “farce”, as Harry Brook rightly called it, at soggy Sophia Gardens on Wednesday. A hurricane of English runs at sunny Old Trafford on Friday. And here we are with a decider on our hands at Trent Bridge on Sunday. Or maybe not. The weather forecast (see below) suggests the only decision that will be made is when to call the game off. That would be a shame. As much as England deserve the chance to clinch the men’s T2OI series in the wake of their total of 304/2 and victory by 146 runs in Manchester, South Africa should have the chance to show what they have learnt from that experience. Phil Salt and Jos Buttler put the home side in command with an opening stand of 126 off 47. That’s a strike rate of 268.09. Yes, 268.09. Buttler went in the eighth for a 30-ball 83, but Salt kept going great guns to make an undefeated 141 off 60. The South Africans’ economy rates ranged from Kwena Maphaka’s 10.25 to Lizaad Williams’ 20.66. Even a bowler as skilled and experienced as Kagiso Rabada couldn’t stop the bleeding: his economy rate was 17.50. Shellshocked, the visitors disappeared for 158 in 16.1 overs. It was the first time England breached 300, and with the third-highest total in T20I history no less. Salt’s innings is their highest score in the format and the highest made against South Africa. England achieved their biggest T20I win and South Africa suffered their heaviest defeat. The contrast with what happened in Cardiff two days earlier was startling. Rain limited South Africa’s innings to 7.5 overs, then England’s to five overs. Aiden Markram’s team finished on the right side of that slip-sliding-silly equation by 14 runs. T20 cricket can lack narrative and significance. The format’s aficionados argue that every ball is an event, which is true. But that also means those individual events vanish from view and memory like disappearing messages on an app. Not in this series, what with its wildly swings and roundabouts. And especially with a World Cup in the format looming in Sri Lanka and India in February and March. So a tense Trent Bridge battle would be a fine end to the rubber and to a tour on which South Africa won the ODI rubber. Here’s hoping the weather agrees, and abates. When: September 14, 2025; 2.30pm Local Time (3.30pm SAT, 1.30pm GMT, 7pm IST) Where: Trent Bridge, Nottingham What to expect: Rain: 95% chance of the stuff has been forecast to fall in Nottingham for five hours in the afternoon. And, if we get any cricket, runs: Trent Bridge has yielded totals of 190 or more four times in the six day men’s T20Is played there. Team news: England:Messing with this XI should be illegal. Possible XI:Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (capt), Sam Curran, Tom Banton, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood. South Africa: Keshav Maharaj’s groin strain has been added to an injury list that already featured the hamstrung David Miller and Lungi Ngidi. Possible XI: Aiden Markram (capt), Ryan Rickelton, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka. What they said: “I want to take games as deep as possible while still batting at a high strike rate. The two don’t often go hand in hand but that’s what I want to do as a player. The goal is to be right up there. I want to be the best in the world at this.” – Phil Salt explains his rationale. “With the new ball, when there’s an onslaught, we need to find different plans. We became one-dimensional. It was an abject performance; really not good enough. If all around you are losing their heads, you’ve got to make sure you keep yours. We weren’t able to do that tonight.” – sensibly, Shukri Conrad refuses to find positives in the Manchester mauling.
