Bairstow and Hales earn England crushing win against South Africa

In the opening game of a three-match Twenty20 series, likely to remain in the memory for at least a week, England thrashed South Africa by nine wickets with 33 balls to spare. England played extremely well, their opponents tepidly (to be polite). It was another disappointingly one-sided contest – we have seen plenty of those in the Champions Trophy – but sadly not much was residing on the outcome of this one.

Both sides were experimental, including interesting debutants with memorable names. Mason Crane of England and Tabraiz Shamsi of South Africa are wrist spinners with the latter propelling the ball with his left arm. One of the unforeseen benefits of T20 cricket has been the increased craving for wrist spinners. Every side should have one.

Crane was first into the action and he had the benefit of bowling to batsmen trying to restore the innings after the loss of three early wickets, even if one of those batsmen was the great AB de Villiers.

De Villiers, who is not playing on the Test series, was at the crease for the second ball of the match after JJ Smuts was bowled off the inside edge and the boot by David Willey. Smuts endured a first‑baller in South Africa’s practice match here earlier in their tour so the chances of him becoming another of Hampshire’s Kolpaks are low.

Mark Wood also struck with his first delivery, dispatching Reeza Hendricks. Wood bowled with hostility bringing back memories of Darren Gough charging in at Australia here in 2005 and putting down a marker for the Test series, the one difference being none of these South Africans is likely to play in the Lord’s Test. Wood also accounted for David Miller.

So the Hampshire spin twins with Liam Dawson alongside Crane bowled eight overs in tandem, which must be a first for the county in any sort of cricket for England. Both bowled well; neither took a wicket yet in their eight overs they conceded only 41 runs between them. Even De Villiers struggled to dominate and the same, less surprisingly, applied to Farhaan Behardien. Apart from a last-ball full toss Crane had lived up to his lofty reputation.

South Africa speeded up once the spinners had completed their spells but they still finished with an odd total: 142 for three (presumably they recognised that this contest was limited to 20 overs). De Villiers and Behardien scored 65 and 64 respectively in a partnership of 110 yet they only managed much acceleration in the last two overs.

Unusually the captain had the slower strike rate despite the odd gob-smacking stroke beyond the scope of ordinary mortals. On this trip the magic has been missing for De Villiers – perhaps he will benefit from a break – yet even so England will be relieved not to come across him in the Test series.

Jason Roy has been fortified by some runs for Surrey since he last played international cricket and his confidence appeared to be restored. He was watching the ball again rather than looking for it rather desperately with Alex Hales looking on admiringly. Thus the old firm, the Hobbs and Sutcliffe of England’s T20 cricket, were back in harness albeit briefly.

Roy cruised to 28 in 14 balls whereupon he was lbw reverse-sweeping the first ball from Andile Phehlukwayo. Here was confirmation that Roy remains an audacious batsman rather than an avaricious one.

Shamsi, like Crane, also caused a few problems – unfamiliarity can be quite an asset in this form of the game – but England chased down their undemanding target most efficiently. Jonny Bairstow replaced Roy, as he did in the Champions Trophy, and he was a tad more clinical in his approach. From the start Bairstow timed the ball sweetly taking sixes from both the spinners (yes, Imran Tahir was here revisiting another of his old haunts) and posing the question of how he can be omitted from England’s best white‑ball side.

Meanwhile Hales pottered on like a wily old pro eschewing any unnecessary risk. The outcome was one of the most stress-free T20 victories imaginable, enjoyed more by the home side than the home crowd (notwithstanding the Hampshire spin twins).

There was much to admire in England’s performance, but they could have done with a bit more excitement.