IT20 Series (match two of three)

South Africa 174-8 beat England 171-6 by three runs

ENGLAND snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as a late collapse saw the hosts beaten by three runs against South Africa at Taunton's County Ground.

Cruising at 125-1 in pursuit of 175 to win, the quickfire departures of Jonny Bairstow and then, in controversial fashion, Jason Roy brought the visitors back into the game.

Andile Phehlukwayo held his nerve in a dramatic final over which ended with England three runs short after Liam Dawson couldn't hit the four required from the last delivery of the match in the growing gloom.

England, who awarded debuts to Liam Livingstone and Tom Curran but opted against handing Craig Overton a senior bow on his home ground, won the toss and decided to field in front of a sell-out 12,500 crowd making the most of the national side's first appearance in Taunton since 1983.

JJ Smuts responded well to his golden duck in Wednesday's series opener to strike some lusty early blows, and it took the introduction of Curran to make the breakthrough as he struck with his second delivery in international cricket to dismiss Reeza Hendricks for seven.

Jos Buttler, returning to the County Ground for just the second time since his departure in 2013, took the first of two catches behind the stumps as Liam Plunkett found Mangaliso Mosehle's outside edge shortly afterwards, but captain AB de Villiers joined Smuts and helped South Africa accelerate.

Smuts was eventually sent on his way for 45, top edging a Dawson full toss to Plunkett at short fine leg, but de Villiers began to show off his trademark exuberance with some inventive strokeplay, including one huge six behind square on the leg side off David Willey.

He perished from the very next ball, however, lofting the same bowler to Eoin Morgan to depart for 46 and leave South Africa on 127-5.

Farhaan Behardien chipped in with a valuable 32 at the death as the tourists finished on 174-8, with Tom Curran adding two late wickets to his earlier scalp to end with an impressive 3-33 on debut - though England let themselves down in the field, with Chris Jordan and Liam Livingstone spilling sitters towards the end of the innings

South Africa's total, though just one shy of the average score for T20 matches at the County Ground, looked a little below-par, and - after the early loss of Sam Billings (3) - England set about proving that was the case through Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow.

Roy, who endured a disappointing Champions Trophy, played himself back into form with some well-timed drives and became the first player on either side to reach a half-century when he launched Tabraiz Shamsi into the Sir Ian Botham Stand for six.

Bairstow looked likely to follow him to the landmark but, after some terrific shots including a bullet-like flat six over deep mid-wicket, he chipped Chris Morris to Behardien at long-on to fall for 47.

At that stage England still had more than six overs to score 50 runs, but then came controversy as Jason Roy was given out for obstructing the field.

Scampering back to his crease, the batsman blocked the ball and was sent on his way for 67 after the third umpire adjudged he had done so deliberately.

The crowd were unhappy with the decision, which proved to be a turning point in the match as England struggled from thereon in.

The returning Buttler came and went quickly as he was yorked by Phehlukwayo on 10 after receiving a rapturous reception on his walk to the wicket, and suddenly the hosts needed 22 from 14 balls.

Captain Eoin Morgan was next to go, caught by his opposite number de Villiers off Dane Paterson on six, and debutant Livingstone struggled to find the boundaries his side desperately needed.

Requiring 12 from the final over, Livingstone and Dawson could only manage singles before the former ran himself out on 16.

Dawson hit the penultimate ball to the long-off boundary to reduce the runs required to four from the last ball, but Phehlukwayo fired the final delivery right in the blockhole to ensure his side closed out the victory.

It was a thrilling end to a match which England looked in control of for large parts, but South Africa came back well to set up a series decider in Cardiff on Sunday.

Speaking after the match, Eoin Morgan said: "We were going really well, but we lost a well set batsman and no-one could carry it on.

"Jonny [Bairstow] and Jason [Roy] were dominant, but unfortunately the rest of us couldn't capitalise on that.

"I wouldn't say Roy's dismissal cost us the match - we had more than enough experience and firepower in the likes of myself and Jos [Buttler] to see the match out and we didn't do that.

"They are entitled to appeal for the dismissal. I thought it was 50/50, and I can see why it was given.

"Tom [Curran] was excellent - he's put on a yard of pace, which makes his slower balls more effective, and I thought he was very impressive today.

"If I'd known how dark it was going to get, I would have thought twice about batting second. It was the darkest conditions I've played in by a country mile."

To re-live a historic day for cricket in Taunton as it happened, click here.