Jonny Bairstow kept up his strong all-format form this summer by smashing a 53-ball 90 in England’s 41-run win over South Africa on Wednesday in the first Twenty20 international of the three-match series.
Bairstow hit eight sixes and three fours to help guide England to 234-6 after being put in to bat at Bristol.
Moeen Ali weighed in by crashing 52 off 18 balls, including six sixes, an England record for the fastest 50 in a Twenty20 cricket international. Moeen reached his 50 in just 16 balls, beating teammate Liam Livingstone’s year-old record by a single delivery.
“It means a lot, there are guys in our changing room who score quickly and now I can brag about fastest 50 in T20 cricket for England,” Moeen said. “This was a nice-sized ground for someone like myself, who isn’t the most massive hitter of a ball.”
South Africa slumped to 7-2 after
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