ENGLAND failed their first major test of their credentials as potential ICC World Twenty20 challengers after a comprehensive defeat to highlyfancied South Africa.

Having secured their progress to the Super Eight stage of the event with an impressive victory over Pakistan last Sunday, England always knew they would have a better guide of their abilities after their three next matches.

But confronted by a South African side regarded as one of the favourites for the tournament, England’s standing among the elite was put into sharp perspective after they slumped to a seven-wicket hammering with 10 balls to spare at Trent Bridge.

It leaves England needing to beat holders India at Lord’s on Sunday to remain in the competition and a vast improvement in their performance after registering their lowest total in 18 Twenty20 internationals, eclipsing the 121 they were dismissed for in Trinidad earlier this year.

South Africa were dominant in every department, frustrating England’s top order with accurate and economic bowling, delivering the most outstanding fielding display of the tournament so far and then completed their triumph in style with man-ofthe- match Jacques Kallis finishing unbeaten on 57 from 49 balls.

Encouraged by the success of both Ireland’s and New Zealand’s spinners earlier in the day on a slow wicket being used for the fourth time, both sides chose unchanged lineups hoping their slow bowlers could turn the match.

By the time South Africa’s two spinners were utilised in tandem, however, England had recorded the lowest total of the tournament after the six overs of fielding restrictions – 25 for three – and become the first side to bat out a maiden over at the event.

Having decided to bat first in the hope the pitch would get slower and harder to score quickly on, England’s hopes of gaining an early impetus was ended when they lost openers Ravi Bopara and Luke Wright inside two overs.

The responsibility of taking advantage of the fielding restrictions fell to Kevin Pietersen, who responded with fours from the first two balls he faced although he survived a strong lbw appeal on eight from Dale Steyn.

Umpire Tony Hill’s decision to deny the appeal could have been significant had he gone and taken advantage, but instead he fell three overs later after being brilliantly caught by Roelof van der Merwe at mid-on to earn all-rounder Albie Morkel the notable achievement of the first wicket-maiden of the tournament.

Yet it was not Pietersen’s demise which ended England’s hopes, but a middleorder collapse of five wickets for 14 runs in just 20 balls.

Captain Paul Collingwood and Owais Shah had carefully attempted to rebuild the innings – much to the annoyance of a sell-out 17,000 crowd who began booing every dot ball – when Kallis was re-introduced into the attack to spark the collapse.

Bowling at speeds of around 90mph, Kallis shattered Collingwood’s stumps as he backed away to attempt a drive through extra cover, just as England seemed set to set a competitive total.

That breakthrough was followed in the next over with James Foster and Dimitri Mascarenhas falling in the space of four balls from Van der Merwe before Shah, who had taken 21 balls to register his first boundary, edged Kallis behind in his next over after top-scoring with 38 off 33 balls. England’s last seven wickets fell for 33 runs in only 7.2 overs with seamer Wayne Parnell completing their demise by demolishing last man James Anderson’s stumps with a fast yorker.

Facing such a lowly target, South Africa could afford to progress at a leisurely pace and did not panic despite reaching just 28 for one at the end of the fielding restrictions.

Captain Graeme Smith fell early but Kallis teamed up with Herschelle Gibbs in a 74- run stand spanning 11 overs which had all but settled the issue by the time England claimed their second wicket.

Gibbs fell for an energetic 30 off as many balls when he was bowled by off-spinner Graeme Swann and leg-spinner Adil Rashid followed that by having AB de Villiers caught at slip by Collingwood just four runs short of victory.

Scoreboard

England v South Africa At Trent Bridge

England

R S Bopara b Steyn ............................... 2

L J Wright c Boucher b Parnell .............. 1

K P Pietersen c v d Merwe b JA Morkel 19

O A Shah c Boucher b Kallis .................38

P D Collingwood b Kallis .......................19

J S Foster c J A Morkel b v der Merwe . 1

A D Mascarenhas b van der Merwe ...... 1

G P Swann c J A Morkel b J Botha ....... 5

S C Broad b Parnell ...................... 9

A U Rashid not out ......................... 9

J M Anderson b Parnell ................... 0

Extras (lb1 w6 pens 0)................. 7

Total (19.5 overs) ...................111

Fall: 1-4 2-4 3-25 4-78 5-79 6-82 7-88 8-92 9-111

Bowling: Steyn 4-0-19-1. Parnell 3.5-0-14- 3. Kallis 3-0-20-2. J A Morkel 1-1-0-1. J Botha 4-0-25-1. van der Merwe 4-0-32-2.

South Africa

G C Smith c Foster b Broad ..................11

J H Kallis not out ................57

H H Gibbs b Swann ...............30

AB de Villiers c Collingwood b A Rashid ... 11

J P Duminy not out ........ 2

Extras (lb1 w2 pens 0)................. 3

Total 3 wkts (18.2 overs)........114

Fall: 1-17 2-91 3-108

Did Not Bat: J A Morkel, M V Boucher, R van der Merwe, J Botha, D W Steyn, W D Parnell.

Bowling: Mascarenhas 4-0-22-0. Anderson 3.2-0-27-0. Broad 3-0-14-1. Swann 4-0-26- 1. A U Rashid 4-0-24-1.

South Africa beat England by 7 wkts.