1600: That's that then. The Twenty20 series finishes 1-1 and it's all to play for in the one-day series. England will have to bowl a shedload better than today, mind, and it will be interesting when the first XI is announced in the first 50-over international on Friday. We'll see you then, go and grab yourselves a brew - you've earned it.

ciderstouffer on 606: "England shouldn't worry too much. Saj Mahmood probably isn't going to bowl again on tour unless there are a few injuries. Stuffings can happen in T20 when a side gets off to a flyer and keeps it going. Move on to next game."

Iain, Birmingham, via text on 81111: "I'll be keeping that million then Sam. Thanks for your updates though - they are priceless."

capricornRookie on 606: "A bit of an embarrassment for England in the end given the hype after the Duckworth drama. It says quite a lot about the upcoming series though."

20th over - Eng 157-8
And that's that. England's heaviest defeat ever in Twenty20 internationals and only an absolute fool would've thought they'd have got close to that mammoth South Africa target. So while myself and Geoff Boycott go to give ourselves a good talking to, why don't you pick the bones out of that one?

19.2 overs - WICKET! Rashid run out 1, Eng 150-8
Yeah, that looks about right. Adil Rashid's wicket sort of typifies England's effort in many ways - a lazy effort at a ridiculous single and Jacques Kallis throws down the stumps from cover as South Africa's supreme all round effort continues.

18.3 overs - WICKET! Bresnan c Smith b McLaren 0, Eng 147-7
Bom bom bom... another one bites the dust. That works better in person, to be honest. Although not that much better. Anyway, Tim Bresnan is the latest man to fall as he chips down the ground and Proteas skipper Graeme Smith takes a sharp catch on the run round from cover. Adil Rashid comes in, singles end the over, and England need 93 off the last over. I reckon South Africa are going to win this.

18th over - WICKET! Wright c Botha b Steyn 12, Eng 146-6
And there's another wicket for Steyn - Wright hoiking a shorter one so far into the air it comes down with snow on it, and Botha holding a good catch. They've bowled and fielded well today, South Africa.

17.3 overs - WICKET! Morgan b Steyn 10, Eng 144-5
If there was anything that could make this day just that little bit worse for England, it would be a confidence-boosting wicket or two for Dale Steyn - and there it is. Full, straight and quick from the paceman and it skids under Eoin Morgan's bat and rattles into the timbers. "There," says Jonathan Agnew on TMS, "goes England's hope of victory". Erm...

17th over - Eng 139-4
Luke Wright comes to the crease and kerplunks his first delivery out of the ground over long on. A single ends the over. All a bit redundant these last few overs now.

Geoffrey Boycott on Test Match Special: "I was looking for that switch-hit to come because when Pietersen was at the non-striker's end he was practising left-handed. I thought, hello, you're telling the bowlers what you are going to do."

16.4 overs - WICKET! Pietersen b Van der Merwe 29, Eng 132-4
Out. The first time today that Kevin Pietersen has tried the switch-hit and Van der Merwe rockets down a beauty of a quicker ball that rips out his off stump. Valuable time in the middle for England's best batsman, though.

16th over - Eng 127-3
Haha, brilliant. Eoin Morgan, first up, reverse-sweeps Albie Morkel away for four - audacity personified - and he then swipes the same bowler away for a clipped boundary on the leg side. What are the odds of these boys getting 70-odd off four overs and earning me a million? What do you mean I should stop going on about it?

15.1 overs - WICKET! Trott c Kuhn b Morkel 51, Eng 117-3
Albie Morkel picks up the scalp of Jonathan Trott, the batsman top-edging an attempted pull into the heavens and debutant keeper Heino Kuhn does well to dash round to the on side to pouch a good catch. Eoin "The Magician" (I just made that up, good from me) Morgan comes to the crease. About 15 overs too late if you ask me.

Daryll Cullinan on Test Match Special: "It's an impossible target now. On a positive side for England, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen have both spent some time in the middle to gain some form and hit some runs."

15th over - Eng 116-2
England really pressing the pedal to the metal now - comparatively speaking only, unfortunately - and Jonathan Trott, who has looked in good order all tour so far, brings up his 50 off 38 balls with another bosh over the square leg boundary. Four singles from the rest of the over.

14th over - Eng 106-2
Jonathan Trott kicks off the over with a three through the leg side and Kevin Pietersen reminds us all that this is, in fact, a Twenty20 international by flaying a length ball over the deep midwicket boundary for six. I'm perhaps being harsh, to be fair. It's not this pair's fault that England's bowlers served up buffet bowling of the worst kind, but still it would've been nice to see some intent.

13th over - Eng 94-2
The scoreboard has been sorted - let the carnage recommence! Oh, England are batting. In which case, let the hunt for singles continue! And so it does. Anyone got any good jokes?

1510: There's a delay here while the groundsmen sort out a scoreboard error, by the way, which gives us a bit of respite from the slap and tickle... no, wait, the nudge and nurdle of the England innings. I bet Iain is licking his lips in Birmingham. Hhmm. If it rained now, by the way, England would need to be 155 to win. Exactly.

ananya_dad on 606: "No swinging the bats... no slogging it out... no desire to match the charisma of SA assault. In a nutshell, dumb, tame and ugly performance by the England batsmen."

12th over - Eng 90-2
Jonathan Trott latches on to one that is dragged down by Albie Morkel and he smashes it over the midwicket boundary for six... but it's kind of hard to get excited when England need more than three a ball to win. Four singles and brace end the over and England now need over 19 an over.

11th over - Eng 78-2
Roelof van der Merwe continues and, like Calum Best on a night out, singles are the order of the day - until Kevin Pietersen gets underneath one on the slog sweep and it goes all the way for six. Brilliantly held by a fan in the crowd, that, sign him up.

gerrardswhiskers2 on 606: "It's pretty obvious that we didn't believe we could get this total before we even started batting."

9.3 overs - WICKET! Cook c Van der Merwe b Morkel 26, Eng 65-2
Gone! Alastair Cook, looking to manufacture boundaries, succeeds only in picking out Van der Merwe at wide mid-on. Not meaning to be harsh but that might be what England need if they're going to make fist of this and earn me a million pounds. Kevin Pietersen comes in and suddenly the crowd wake up with a chorus of boos. How nice. Now have 13 South African on the field and no Englishmen - and singles end the over. Eng 68-2

9th over - Eng 64-1.
Huzzah! Jonathan Trott goes down on one knee and tonks Roelof van der Merwe over midwicket for England's first maximum of the innings, and Alastair Cook follows up with a reverse-sweep away for four. That's 14 off the over - and that's still less than England need. At this stage, South Africa were 116-0. Meanwhile, forgotten England spinner Monty Panesar has taken 4-37 on final day of Cape Cobras v Lions at Cape Town.

8th over - Eng 50-1
Contrary to how it might look, England are not batting blindfolded, with one arm tied behind their back, or wielding a stick of celery. Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook are simply finding boundaries harder to come by than a goth at a Steps concert and, as it stands, this will be an absolute cake walk for South Africa.

7th over - Eng 46-1
Roelof van der Merwe comes on to turn his arm over with some spin, and England just can't get him off the middle. No boundaries of any sort in that over and the tourists have yet to hit a maximum in this innings. Fortunately, the required rate is only just over 15. I'm starting to wonder if England could reach this target even if they were given 10 extra overs.

Audiernesghost on 606: "At the moment, it looks like the million pounds is going to stay with its owner."

6th over - Eng 43-1
Alastair Cook, come to the party sir. And come to the party he does - of sorts - as he pings three fours from the over, the first over mid-on, then a couple through midwicket. Good timing from the Essex man, and that's his highest score in Twenty20 international cricket. Which kind of says it all about his experience at this level.

Geoffrey Boycott on Test Match Special: "England need to have in mind some sort of target to reach in the first 10 overs, and as long as they're close they shouldn't panic. South Africa got off to a blazing start but weren't so clever in the closing overs."

5th over - Eng 30-1
Jonathan Trott - who looked in great shape before getting run out on Friday - pings a nice straight boundary and grabs a couple of twos, but to say England's innings has yet to catch fire is obvious. So I won't. SA were 51-0 at this stage. Oops.

4th over - Eng 21-1
Exactly what England... didn't need. A wicket and a single off the over. The asking rate is now 13.81, with the current rate 5.25. Dum de dum...

3.1 overs - Denly b Abdulla 14, Eng 20-1
Goddim! Denly's poor form continues as he takes a step, swings at another wide Yusuf Abdulla delivery, and succeeds only in inside-edging it onto his stumps.

3rd over - Eng 20-0
Joe Denly gets a bit of luck as he inside-edges one over his stumps and behind the wicket for four, and a thick edge then spoons over the inner circle and away for a couple. Asking rate up above 13 an over already but England ahead of where the hosts were at this stage. Unfortunately, it was at this stage that Saj Mahmood entered the fray. Centurion Park bearing all the atmosphere of a library at midnight at the moment, by the way, not many England fans in it's fair to say.

2nd over - Eng 13-0
Joe Denly greets Yusuf Abdulla with a couple of whispy wafts outside off before taking a step and swiping him away for England's first boundary of the innings wide of mid-on. Alastair Cook then opens up the leg side and times a beauty to the boundary and the tourists are up and, well, if not running then certainly walking at pace.

1st over - Eng 3-0
England off to a flier! Three singles, both batsmen off the mark, and the tourists are already one run ahead of where South Africa were at this stage in their innings. Ahem.

1420: The players are out and the mother of all run-chases is about to get under way. Settle down people.

1415: Yes, you read it right folks. England need 242 for victory - but only 201 to earn me a million pounds. That's one million pounds. Which is nice.

Iain, Birmingham, via text on 81111: "If we get to even within 40 runs of SA's total, I will give you a million pounds."

Koyomi on 606: "Optimism only gets you so far. Realism says England to be likely bowled for out for 150-170."

20 over - SA 241-6
That's it then. South Africa hit 19 fours and 17 sixes on their way to the second highest total ever in Twenty20 international history, with Bosman and Smith bludgeoners-in-chief in Centurion, and that is a sensational effort. That said - and call me the rose-tinter of all rose-tinters - the flurry of wickets in the last few overs did restrict the hosts a touch and I wonder, I just wonder, if England could pull off something special. Where's your money?

19.4 overs - WICKET! De Villiers run out 24, SA 238-6
James Anderson takes the last over and AB de Villiers splats a remarkable six inside-out straight over the bowlers head - but he goes two deliveries later as he risks a ridiculous second run in an attempt to get back on strike and Eoin Morgan and Matt Prior combine to run him out easily. His 24 came off 13 balls by the way.

19th over - SA 230-5
That's a shame - a nice Bresnan over is ruined by two fours off the final two deliveries, De Villiers squeezing one down to third man the next through long-off. Still, I rate this as a decent fight back in the last few overs. Just a shame it was preceded by an absolute battering, really.

Geoffrey Boycott on TMS: "I tell you what, this is not insurmountable. Obviously England will have to bat well, but it can be done."

18th over - SA 219-5
AB de Villiers ekes out a four towards the end of the over, but Mahmood just avoids registering the worst bowling figures in Twenty20 internationals - 64 runs off four overs - by sending down a dot last delivery. He ends with figures of 1-61.

17. 3 overs - WICKET! Kallis b Mahmood 7, SA 214-5
I tell you what, England might just be in this match still. Saj Mahmood restores a modicum of pride with a decent delivery that Kallis misses on the swipe and the off stump goes cartwheeling.

Ben from Acme Alberta via the TMS inbox: "With the number of full tosses England have served up, this is merely baseball with a cricket bat."

17th over - SA 211-4
It's all right for England now, South Africa only have AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis at the crease. Deary me. Luke Wright keeps things tight in an excellent over, though, marred only by a - wait for it - full toss at the end of the over that Kallis sends straight back down the ground for four.

16.1 overs - WICKET! Bosman c Anderson b Wright 94, SA 204-4
Heartbreak for Loots Bosman! The opener lines up yet another full toss, this time from Luke Wright, but he can only send it straight at James Anderson who takes a fine low catch running in from the boundary edge. He misses out on only the second century in Twenty20 international history, but that's the highest score by a South Africa in this format. His 94 came off 45 balls and included nine sixes and five fours - sensational hitting.

16th over - WICKET! Duminy c Wright b Anderson 2, SA 203-3
James Anderson - the only bowler to have escaped punishment from the South African batsman today with two overs for eight - comes back into the attack. Matt Prior comes up to the stumps with Loots Bosman facing, but the opener reads the slower ball with ease and lashes it away for his ninth six of the innings. Oh that's another wicket gone, though, Duminy mis-cueing one high to Luke Wright at backward points and the Proteas are collapsing! Erm, sort of.

14.4 overs - WICKET! Morkel c Bresnan b Pietersen 14, SA 192-2
KP continues and Bosman and Morkel both treat a couple of full tosses with the disdain they deserve by sending them first class delivery over the boundary rope. That's another record gone - the most sixes in a Twenty20 innings (15) and there's still five overs to go. But that's another wicket! Absolutely terrific catch on the straight boundary edge by Tim Bresnan and Albie Morkel has to go. JP Duminy comes in. SA 195-2

14th over - SA 179-1
Albie Morkel is shifted up the order courtesy of the fact he can hit a ball further than a short-haul flight and he dispatches Denly for two fours to end the over. By the by, that Smith and Gayle partnership did not even help Windies to victory in that match against South Africa - hope for England? I mean, yes, it's slim, but...

13.1 overs - WICKET! Smith c Mahmood b Denly 88, SA 170-1
Breakthrough! Here starteth the comeback! And the unlikely hero is Joe Denly, who takes a wicket with his very first ball in international cricket. He's only ever taken 10 first class wickets for Kent, but he is clearly now England's premier striker bowler so keep him on. Mahmood, by the way, took the high catch on the midwicket boundary off a Smith thick edge.

13th over - SA 170-0
Desperate times call for desperate measures - and KP is brought into the attack. The trouble is, he is bowling to a couple of batsman thrashing about like the Tasmanian Devil in a washing machine and Loots Bosman spanks his part-time off spin for a six and a four up and over midwicket in consecutive balls. This is now the record partnership in Twenty20 international, by the way, the previous best was 145 between Windies pair Devon Smith and Chris Gayle. Obliterated.

12th over - SA 157-0
Yep, Alastair Cook clearly thought the Centurion crowd might nod off after an entire over without a boundary so Saj Mahmood is restored to the attack - and his first ball, a disgusting full toss, is leathered on the pull for yet another maximum by Graeme Smith. Even when the paceman does get it right he gets no joy at all as a delightful yorker is somehow squeezed away to third man for a boundary by Loots Bosman - and another four ends the over with a top-edged pull. Mahmood has now gone for 53 off his three overs.

Bruce C in the TMS inbox: "It's the dancers I feel sorry for, they're going to be seriously knackered by the end of this innings!"

11th over - SA 138-0
Does that count as respite? Does that count as England 'reining it back in'? South Africa can't even get the ball to the boundary now - they're rubbish. Ahem. Luke Wright gets in an over of relative calm as he yields just ones and twos as the Proteas positively limp to 138-0. Except I see Saj Mahmood is being lined up for the next over. Ah.

Jonathan, Brighton in the TMS inbox: "England are being marmalised. Only word for it."

10th over - 131-0
The safest place to be out in Centurion at the moment if you want to avoid getting hit by a cricket ball is... anywhere on the Park pitch. Graeme Smith launches two more sixes off Tim Bresnan to make it 11 maximums in the innings so far and South Africa end the over on 131-0. This match has been going on for 45 minutes. Incredible.

9th over - SA 116-0
Luke Wright continues and now Loots Bosman brings up his 50 - like Graeme Smith - in 25 balls. Only nine from that over, though, which considering the carnage of the previous overs is an absolute belter for England. Which is a sorry of affairs, really.

zapmag on 606: "No doubt England will go for it too. I'm really enjoying the SA batting but this match isn't over yet."

Jonathan Agnew on Twitter: "Chaos out there. At least four captains. Poor Saj."

8th over - SA 107-0
If in doubt, turn to spin. Except Graeme Smith quite likes playing spin. The Proteas skipper greets Adil Rashid's with a couple of swipes on the slog sweep for six before he escapes a stumping chance after swift work by Matt Prior by getting his foot back down in his crease. Loots Bosman decides to take up the baton and thrashes the Yorkshire spinner for a couple more sixes and that's 25 off the over. The record score in Twenty20 internationals, by the way, is 260-6 by Sri Lanka against poor ol' Kenya. That may not last much more than an hour or so.

7th over - SA 82-0
Saj Mahmood, bless 'im, is taking a battering. He yields just three off his first four deliveries - and is then dispatched back over his head for four and then a country mile over midwicket for another huge six by Loots Bosman. Ouch.

6th over - 69-0
Alastair Cook turns to Luke Wright to stop the hemorrhaging of runs - and instead Loots Bosman powers him miles over the deep midwicket boundary for six before Graeme Smith does the same over mid on off a horrid full toss. Smith gets a couple of slices of luck thereafter, edging one through the non-existent slip cordon for four and then battering one through Wright's hands to snatch a single when for a moment it looked like he'd be caught and bowled. Six overs down, run rate 11.50, projected score of 230. Welcome to captaincy Alastair Cook.

5th over - SA 51-0
South Africa are absolutely firing now and already England and Captain Cook look rattled. Graeme Smith kerplunks a couple of boundaries through backward point and mid off, and Loots Bosman then gets in on the act by tonking Tim Bresnan over deep square leg for six. Someone get the medical kit out, that ball is taking a battering.

TeniPurist on 606: "Saj Mahmood is NOT an international level bowler! He has been tried and has failed on numerous occasions in the past - he is pants! What is he doing on the pitch?!?!?! Anyone??"

Paul in Lancs via the TMS inbox: "Re: 1228. No, I wasn't ready, actually. I was still in the kitchen making the kids' dinner. Why ask a question like that if you're not even going to wait for the answer? I'm going off in a sulk."

4th over - SA 35-0
Looks like South Africa have identified Saj Mahmood as the man to target - and Graeme Smith lashes the paceman for three straight fours to open the over, the last off a front foot no-ball. It's captaincy by committee out in Centurion with KP, Matt Prior and Alastair Cook all having their say with the seamer, who responds by ripping out Smith's leg stump with a doozy of a yorker on the free hit. To rub salt into a gaping wound, he then has Loots Bosman caught off another no-ball - and Bosman thrashes the free hit for six over midwicket. That's 21 off the over, with two wickets that don't count. In a nutshell, a stark example of why Mahmood is so frustrating as a cricketer.

Spoontown on 606: "I wish the South Africa trumpeter would learn some more notes, it is embarrassing compared to the English trumpeter. As someone who played the instrument, I wish he'd shut up."

3rd over - SA 14-0
James Anderson gets Loots Bosman up and running with a short one that the opener whips over square leg for a one-bounce four, but again the England paceman recovers well and the hosts have yet to really explode into life in this one. Yet. Meanwhile, it would appear PA are as unfamiliar with Heino Kuhn as I am for they omitted him from their line-ups that I posted below. Cheers to those who pointed that out, I've reinstated him. He will now no doubt go on and score 70-odd off 30 deliveries. So thanks for that.

2nd over - SA 8-0
A real dirty loosener first up from Tim Bresnan is sent packing to the square leg boundary in double quick time by Graeme Smith, but the burly Yorkshireman recovers well and has a half shout for lbw against Loots Bosman when the Proteas opener swings across the line - looked a little high.

1st over - SA 2-0
He's touched it! Twice! KP has fielded the ball at mid-off twice! What a hero! Ahem, anyway, decent opening over from James Anderson, pushing the ball across Graeme Smith nicely and then tucking Loots Bosman up with some tight lines and he yields just a couple off the opening seven (including a wide) deliveries.

1228: The teams stride on to the field with the sun blazing (though there is a fear of thunderstorms later) and the Centurion crowd warming up nicely and we're moments away from the start. You ready?

Henry, London, via the TMS inbox: "I don't see why people are so surprised at the selection. All summer people kept asking why Cook wasn't in the one day fold - look how many runs he is scoring - the middle order is made of runs and the bowlers are the best we have fit and available. England looking for a series whitewash against SA then, I wonder what the odds were on that before the series began?"

1225: The official team line-ups then:
South Africa: G Smith (capt), L Bosman, J Kallis, AB de Villiers, J Duminy, A Morkel, H Kuhn, R McLaren, R van der Merwe, D Steyn, Y Abdulla.
England: A Cook (capt), J Denly, J Trott, K Pietersen, E Morgan, M Prior (wkt), L Wright, A Rashid, T Bresnan, S Mahmood, J Anderson.
Umpires: M Erasmus and B Jerling

From ichbinein on 606: "Never mind who Heino Kuhn is. Who's Yusuf Abdulla?!"
He is a 26-year-old left-arm seamer mate. He's played one Twenty20 international, against Australia, and took 1-16 off three overs. Again, a bit of an unknown quantity, though.

1218: It's the battle of the amateur forecasters, then, with Aggers and Bumble going head-to-head on TMS and Sky respectively. The official forecast is for fine weather until this evening, by the way - we couldn't have a repeat of Friday's drama could we? The pitch report suggests it's not quite going to have the carry of Friday's wicket and it might be a little two-paced, but it's still one the batsmen will be looking to score on so, as always in this form of the game, hold on to your hard hats in the crowd people.

Jonathan Agnew on TMS: "Storm clouds already moving away, with blue skies now above here in Centurion."

Sky commentator David Lloyd on twitter: "Already raining in Jo'burg. Locals say it's on its way here in Centurion."

1211: Anyone worrying about Alastair Cook's captaincy, by the way - consider this. He last captained England at under-19 level at the World Cup in Bangladesh in 2004 and scored two centuries in leading the side to the semi-finals. He's also coming off the back of a decent Twenty20 domestic season with Essex. Odds on a ton for Captain Cook today? Long I'd have thought, but you never know...!

Cricketing_stargazer on 606: "This really is a mix and match side. However, if they fire it could be thrilling to watch."

Laura, Nottingham, via the TMS inbox: "Is it just me or was anyone thinking a few years ago it would be highly unlikely that Cook would be playing international T20 let alone captaining the side? Surely it would be better to go with someone with T20 experience rather than just captaincy experience? Like the 'other' Captain Cook he'll be off on an voyage into the unknown!"

1205: So who the boo is Heino Kuhn? Well he is 25 years old, born in Piet Retief, and is considered a long-term replacement for Mark Boucher. Oh and his middle name is Gunther. That's all I've got. Anyone?

1203: So Alastair Cook's first job as England skipper is to call incorrectly and Graeme Smith opts to bat first. It looks another belter of a track, though, so not sure how crucial a toss win that will be. England aren't the only side making changes, though, with South Africa keen to give everyone in their squad a run-out, meaning Jacques Kallis, Yusuf Abdulla and debutant keeper-batsman Heino Kuhn (I don't know, I'm on it) come into the side.

TeleKemis on 606: "I'm keeping my expectations to a low in terms of KP, but needless to say he'll want to prove a point. What a middle order though, mind boggling amounts of talent, skill and power in there."

1155: And the hits just keep on coming, folks. TMS commentator Jonathan Agnew reveals on his Twitter page that Graeme Swann has also failed a late fitness test on his side, so Yorkshire spinner Adil Rashid comes in to start. Blimey O'Reilly.

1152: Well that's a turn up for the books isn't it? Kevin Pietersen, who wasn't due to return to action until after these Twenty20 internationals as he continues his recovery from Achilles surgery, is drafted in for his first competitive action since July 20th this year. He will bat at number four, with Joe Denly and skipper Alastair Cook opening, Jonathan Trott at three, and Eoin Morgan five. For South Africa, Jacques Kallis returns after being rested for Friday's one-run Duckworth-Lewis defeat in Johannesburg. Big-gun-tastic.

1147: Yep, in only his fourth Twenty20 international, with an average of just over 11 behind him, and having been in and out of favour more often than skinny jeans and plimsolls, Essex opener Alastair Cook will be leading England against South Africa today as the tourists look to secure their first trophy of the winter by avoiding defeat in Centurion. I've little to no doubt you good people will have plenty to say on the matter, so why not get in touch via email, 606 or text via 81111? If you do, and your missive catches my eye, I can publish your comment on this very page and make you web famous for 15 minutes. And wouldn't that be something to tell the grandkids?

1145: Alastair Cook - England captain. That's because Paul Collingwood is ruled out with a stiff back, while concerns over the fitness of James Anderson (knee) and Graeme Swann (side) mean England are said to be considering a shock call for either Twenty20 abstainer Andrew Strauss or home 'favourite' Kevin Pietersen. Not for the first time, events off the field are as interesting as those on it and I'll be bringing you the latest news faster than you can say "Twenty20 cricket is the perfect cure for a Sunday hangover". Nice.