All round England swats off-colour Proteas to take ODI series to decider

England roared back into the series with a game to play after a barnstorming 118-run win against South Africa at Old Trafford in Manchester on Friday.

Defending 202 in a game shortened to 29 overs by rain, England initially reduced the visitors to 6/4, then 27/5 before the visitors dragged their way to 83 all out.

The total equalled South Africa's lowest ODI score against England and means Sunday's third ODI in Leeds has everything riding on it.

RECAP | Woeful Proteas fall apart in England run chase as ODI series all square

England's opening burst that saw left-armer Reece Topley (2/17) and David Willey (1/9) scythe through South Africa's top order also saw Aiden Markram (0) run out without facing a ball, effectively settling the outcome of the game.

South Africa was not only subjected to their first ODI defeat at Old Trafford since 1994, but was also caught short by a lack of chasing urgency at the hands of accurate swing bowling by England's opening southpaws.

Janneman Malan (0) was the first to fall when he tamely chipped Topley to Sam Curran (1/5) at mid-on in the second ball of the third over.

Shock then really set in when Rassie van der Dussen (0) was strangled down the leg-side that saw SA slip to 6/2.

Then off the first ball of the third over bowled by Willey, Quinton de Kock (5) then picked out Liam Livingstone at cover.

That precarious 6/3 became 6/4 four balls later when Markram was run-out off an impossible single that he called without facing a ball.

If there was a flicker of recovery, it died in the ninth over when Curran castled David Miller (12) to leave SA firmly in the mire at 27/5.

It was a case of how long SA was going to bat to avoid the ignominy of their lowest ODI score of 69 made against Australia in Sydney