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Rossouw and Hendricks take South Africa to 207-3 against England in 2nd T20 / Photo: Geoff Caddick - AFP
Rossouw and Hendricks take South Africa to 207-3 against England in 2nd T20
Rilee Rossouw fell agonisingly short of a maiden Twenty20 international hundred as he top-scored with an unbeaten 96 in South Africa's total of 207-3 against England in Cardiff on Thursday.
Reeza Hendricks made 53, the opener's second fifty in as many days, in a match the Proteas need to win to square this three-match T20 series at 1-1.
Left-hander Rossouw, a day after ending a six-year international exile having been ineligible for South Africa while taking up a Kolpak contract in English county cricket, faced 55 balls including 10 fours and five sixes.
Both sides were unchanged from Wednesday's series opener in Bristol, with England bidding for a first series win since Jos Buttler succeeded Eoin Morgan as England's white-ball captain
England won by 41 runs in Bristol, posting a score of 234-6 -- their second-highest T20 total.
Nevertheless, Buttler opted to field first after winning the toss.
Hendricks looked in good touch early on, hoisting Sam Curran over square leg for six.
With South Africa scoring 32 runs off the opening three overs from left-arm quicks Reece Topley and Curran, wicketkeeper Buttler brought off-spinner Moeen Ali into the attack.
Moeen made the breakthrough when Quinton de Kock (15) mistimed a drive from a ball that skidded on straight to mid-on, with the Proteas 39-1 in the fourth over.
New batsman Rossouw, 32, hit the last two balls of the powerplay for 10 runs, flicking Richard Gleeson off his hip for six and driving him through extra cover for four.
Hendricks completed his second fifty of the series, off just 29 balls, and was promptly dropped off the next, Gleeson failing to hold a fast-travelling chance at short fine leg.
But Gleeson atoned in the next over, dismissing Hendricks when Jonny Bairstow took a well-judged catch off a pull shot, running back towards the long-leg boundary but stopping his momentum to avoid touching the rope.
England thought they had Rossouw caught behind by Buttler down the legside off Chris Jordan for 37.
But the TV umpire ruled the ball had bounced into Buttler's gloves and Rossouw, went on to complete a 32-ball fifty.
Rossouw pulled Gleeson for six and lofting him down the ground to one of the shorter boundaries for four off successive deliveries.
But 'death bowler' Chris Jordan conceded a mere four runs off the last over to leave Rossouw just shy of three figures.
O.Nardolillo--INP
