England face record run chase to set up decider as South Africa score 331

England’s batters were facing a record chase of 331 to take their Metro Bank one-day international series to a decider, with South Africa making the early running at Lord’s.

Having been skittled for 131 in the Headingley opener, Harry Brook’s side will need to be much better second time around after the Proteas made 330 for eight from their 50 overs. No side has ever chased more than 326 at the home of cricket.

A fourth-wicket stand of 147 between Matthew Breetzke (85) and Tristan Stubbs (58) was the cornerstone for South Africa, while Aiden Markram picked up where he left off in Leeds with a busy 49 at the top of the order.

The hosts opted to take Sonny Baker out of the firing line after he suffered badly on debut, shipping 76 in seven taxing overs, with Saqib Mahmood restored in his place.

But it was the familiar figure of Adil Rashid who once again stood tallest for his side. Having taken all three of his side’s wickets in the first match, the 37-year-old was a class apart.

He breezed through his variations as he stitched together figures of two wickets for 33 runs, dismissing Markram and captain Temba Bavuma along the way and allowing a solitary boundary off 60 deliveries.

Jofra Archer was also productive, polishing his haul with two wickets in the final over as he claimed four for 62.

England’s decision to stack the batting line-up left them light of a specialist bowler, meaning Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks were needed to make up a 10-over allocation. It proved a costly gamble, with the pair taking five wickets apiece and conceding 112 runs between them after Brook had won the toss and decided to field.

Bethell had a late success when the dangerous Dewald Brevis carved his left-arm spin to backward point having struck 42 off his first 19 balls. However, he continues to look an ambitious option at this level, giving up five fours, three sixes and three wides.

Archer got England started by having Ryan Rickleton caught behind, trapped Breetzke lbw with a smart slower ball yorker in the middle and added Senuran Muthusamy and Keshav Maharaj at the end. He also completed the run out of Stubbs when he was sent back late by Brevis.

Breetzke had earlier become the first player in ODI history to pass 50 in each of his first five innings, averaging a remarkable 92.6.