South Africa fight back to level T20 series with England
(Reuters) - Andile Phehlukwayo delivered a superb final over as South Africa beat England by three runs in a thrilling Twenty20 international at Taunton on Friday.
South Africa made 174 for eight with JJ Smuts contributing 45 and skipper AB de Villiers striking 46 from 30 balls.
England will feel they should have won after being well placed but they struggled in the closing overs.
England opener Jason Roy, who had been struggling for form, led the run chase with a fine 67 before he was given out for obstructing the field.
Roy shared a 110-run second wicket partnership with Jonny Bairstow (47) but with 29 needed to win off the final three overs, England fell short.
The hosts required 12 from the final over but Phehlukwayo, bowling yorker length outside the off stump, restricted England to singles off the first three balls and debutant Liam Livingstone was run out after confusion over a second run.
Liam Dawson smashed the penultimate ball for a one-bounce four but the final delivery from the South African seamer beat Dawson and the tourists levelled the three-match series at 1-1.
The deciding match will be played at Cardiff on Sunday.
(Reporting by Simon Evans, editing by Ed Osmond)