Malan stars for England before S. Africa fightback in third T20

Cardiff (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Dawid Malan became England's top-scoring Twenty20 international debutant before Dane Paterson led South Africa's recovery at Cardiff on Sunday.

With the three-match series all square at 1-1, England captain Eoin Morgan took the controversial decision to drop himself, with his place going to Malan.

And fellow Middlesex left-hander Malan responded by making 78 in England's total of 181 for eight.

Malan's impressive 44-ball innings featuring 12 fours and two sixes, surpassed the 46 made by Paul Collingwood in England's very first match at this level -- a 100-run win over Australia at Southampton in 2005.

Alex Hales and Malan shared a second-wicket stand of 105 in 10.3 overs.

But from 166 for three, England lost their next five wickets for 14 runs.

Paterson, who was twice on a hat-trick, led South Africa's attack with four for 32.

South Africa should have had a wicket third ball after skipper AB de Villiers won the toss.

South Africa's Mangaliso Mosehle drops a catch during the third T20 international against England at Sophia Gardens cricket ground in Cardiff, south Wales, on June 25, 2017

England had yet to score a run when Jason Roy skyed Chris Morris towards square leg.

Wicket-keeper Mangaliso Mosehle set off in pursuit of the steepling chance but, despite getting both gloves to the ball, could not cling on as he dived.

Fortunately for the Proteas, it was not an expensive miss with Roy in the next over when, trying to 'ramp' a Morne Morkel delivery that was too close to him, he gave Mosehle a much simpler catch.

Durban-born Roy, whose unusual obstructed the field dismissal proved a turning point in South Africa's three-run series-levelling win at Taunton on Friday, was out for eight and England were 13-1.

His exit brought in Malan.

Born in London but brought up in South Africa, Malan got off the mark in style by pulling Morris for six over midwicket.

Meanwhile Hales suffered a painful blow on eight when he bottom edged a pull off paceman Paterson onto an unprotected knee.

Hales should have been out on 10 when he mistimed a drive off Morris only for Andile Phehlukwayo, going back at mid-on, to make a complete hash of a routine catch, with England 49 for one in the seventh over.

Meanwhile Malan kept the runs coming, the 29-year-old driving fast bowler Morkel straight back over his head for a six that soared out of the ground and into the River Taff.

But he also showed touch as well as power in flipping leg-spinner Imran Tahir over shirt fine leg for a four that saw him to fifty.

The stand was broken when Hales (36) holed out to deep midwicket where David Miller took a good catch and Malan fell soon afterwards caught at long-on off Tahir.

England's innings then petered out, with Paterson removing Sam Billings (12) before bowling Liam Livingstone for a golden duck as the batsman attempted an extravagant ramp shot.

Liam Plunkett survived the hat-trick.

Paterson removed stand-in skipper Jos Buttler and David Willey in successive deliveries before Tom Curran survived his second hat-trick attempt.