Fri Sep 12 18:20:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the England vs. South Africa T20 match:
**Salt’s Blistering Century Leads England to Mammoth Total Against South Africa**
**Old Trafford, Manchester -** Phil Salt smashed a record-breaking 39-ball century, England’s fastest in any format, as the home side posted a massive total against South Africa in the second T20 international at Old Trafford. Salt’s explosive innings, punctuated by audible groans of frustration on the stump mic when he wasn’t finding the boundary, eclipsed his previous highest T20 score for England and placed him among the elite with four international T20 hundreds. Only Glenn Maxwell and Rohit Sharma have more.
Jos Buttler set the stage with a breathtaking 83 off just 30 balls, forming a stunning 126-run opening stand with Salt that immediately put the South African bowlers under immense pressure. South Africa’s plans “seemed to go out the window” and they “have not bowled as well as they could have”. The innings was punctuated with back-to-back sixes from Harry Brook.
While South Africa managed to claim a couple of wickets, including Jacob Bethell’s dismissal for 26, Harry Brook continued the onslaught with a quickfire cameo, though he survived some close calls and a review. Brook finished with a few fours.
The South African bowlers struggled to contain the relentless English attack, with England finding an answer to everything that they tried. During the match, Salt was heard shouting and swearing at a South African player in yellow after a bouncer was called a no-ball.
England’s innings was a display of power hitting and innovative shot-making that left the Old Trafford crowd thoroughly entertained. South Africa now face a daunting chase to level the three-match series, having lost the first match. The match marked Jofra Archer’s return to the England side.
First Piper 