England will require 192 to win the T20 decider and give new captain Jos Buttler a first white-ball series victory after South Africa pair Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram hit fifties at the Ageas Bowl.
Hendricks top scored with 70 for his third half-century of the series and Markram finished on 51 not out to help the tourists make 191 for five despite the best efforts of David Willey, who took three for 25.
Buttler’s decision to recall Willey was immediately vindicated when the left-arm seamer squeezed Quinton De Kock, who chopped onto his own stumps for a three-ball duck.
South Africa recovered with Reece Topley particularly expensive before a light shower in Hampshire saw the players go off for a seven-minute delay.
Rilee Rossouw greeted Chris Jordan’s introduction and the return to action with a succession of boundaries, with four in total off the sixth over to help the tourist reach 53 for one at the end of the powerplay.
Moeen Ali soon ended Rossouw’s fun when he produced a beauty that beat the left-hander’s outside edge to send the bails flying but Hendricks stood firm despite some fortune with an inside edge and top edge racing away to the boundary.
After scoring fifties in the first opening matches of the T20 series, the South Africa opener repeated the trick – despite a second mini-rain delay – but this time by making use of the large outfield with several singles and twos.
Hendricks brought up his half-century off 42 balls before he started to press his foot on the accelerator with three boundaries off Sam Curran’s 16th over.
Markram, back in South Africa’s T20 team for the first time since last year’s World Cup, provided solid support and moved through the gears after Hendricks was impressively caught by Buttler for 70.
Jordan’s slower ball accounted for the opener but Markram dished out more punishment to Topley and reached his fifty from 36 balls before captain David Miller provided a sparkling finish with a quickfire 22 to set 192 for victory.
