Morgan rescues England after desperate beginning

Morgan (63) began his contribution after England lurched to 9-3 in the third over of their reply to 125-5.

But, reprising the 45-ball 85 not out he smashed the South Africans for at the Wanderers last November, he dominated a much-needed fourth-wicket stand of 71 in 11 overs with Paul Collingwood.

The diminutive left-hander announced himself with a dismissive pull for six off Morne Morkel on his way to a 53-ball half-century which also contained six fours.

Morgan was unable to live up to his 'finisher' mantle, holing out in the deep off Rusty Theron, but Luke Wright and Tim Bresnan did just enough as England sneaked the verdict by five wickets with three balls to spare.

England's chase had hit almost immediate trouble.

Openers Michael Lumb and Craig Kieswetter each counted one boundary before exiting the equation, the former chopping on off Rory Kleinveldt in the first over and the latter upper-cutting Morne Morkel straight into the hands of third-man.

Between the two, Kevin Pietersen inside-edged behind for a first-ball duck to put Kleinveldt on a hat-trick.

England's South Africa-born top-order trio had mustered nine runs between them, and Pietersen – replacing Wednesday's match-winner Ravi Bopara at No 3 – had an experience to forget on his belated arrival after spending some extra time at home with his pregnant wife.

Morgan and Collingwood did not panic, though and by the time the latter chipped a simple catch to midwicket off Johan Botha, the balance was firmly back in England's favour.

No South Africa batsman was able to dominate, after Graeme Smith won the toss, until JP Duminy and Albie Morkel produced an unbroken stand of 58.

The captain himself needed 13 balls to score his first run, Ryan Sidebottom starting the match with a maiden after being recalled for the rested James Anderson.

Wickets were soon falling, Loots Bosman mis-pulling Stuart Broad to midwicket and Herschelle Gibbs beaten by some smart recovery work in the covers from Collingwood to be run out for just a single as he tried to return for two.

Michael Yardy duly nipped out two more, Smith stumped after getting nowhere near the pitch on the charge and AB de Villiers bowled trying a big drive.

Mark Boucher was undone by the exaggerated turn Graeme Swann got with a short ball, which ended up in the hands of short third-man.

In the circumstances, South Africa did well to turn 46-3 after 10 – and then 72-5 after 15 – into a total that would after all provide a test.

England helped a little by donating a no-ball when Collingwood posted only three of the four mandatory men inside the fielding restriction circle at the start of the 19th over.

Self-inflicted blows like that are avoidable, but Morgan subsequently did enough to relegate this one at least to a mere statistical footnote.