Harry Brook calls rain-shortened T20 loss to South Africa 'a shambles of a night'

England captain Harry Brook described his side's rain-affected Twenty20 International against South Africa in Cardiff as "a bit of a shambles of a night" after his team were comfortably outscored in a contest shortened by soggy conditions.

South Africa made 97 for five in 7.5 overs in a game that had been reduced to nine overs a side, then restricted England to 54 for five in a five-over chase as the visitors won the first of three T20s. Only Jos Buttler reached double figures for England in the curtailed run-chase, while South Africa struck nine sixes to England's five across the match. The game went ahead in front of 7,414 spectators despite persistent rain and a greasy outfield that prompted debate about whether play should have been attempted.

Brook, who was dismissed without scoring after facing four balls, said there was little to be taken from the 77 legal deliveries of the evening. "I don't think there's any point, really. It was a bit of a shambles of a night," he said. Asked whether the match should have been played, he said that decision was for officials and that England's focus remained on performing when asked to.

England had also altered their originally named side ahead of the match by leaving Jofra Archer out of the XI, citing the risk of slipping on the wet outfield and concerns over preserving the fast bowler ahead of forthcoming fixtures. Brook expressed surprise at a rules detail that allowed South Africa to use only three bowlers while both Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch delivered two overs apiece in the shortened game. "I'm not one to know all the rules," he said. "But I'd have thought every bowler would have to bowl one over. But these are the rules we're given."

Sam Curran, making his first appearance under head coach Brendon McCullum in any format, took a wicket with his first ball when Dewald Brevis was caught at backward point attempting a heave. Curran then hit the first ball he faced for six. Luke Wood, brought into the XI late as Archer's replacement, claimed three wickets — including Ryan Rickelton caught behind with the second ball of the match, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, and a skyer held to dismiss Aiden Markram.

England's attack was punished at times: Jamie Overton and Adil Rashid each conceded three sixes, and Liam Dawson was hit for two sixes in his solitary over. Phil Salt, reprieved earlier when he spilled a catch at deep midwicket off Markram, was dismissed on the first ball of the chase when he pulled to deep backward square leg off Kwena Maphaka.

The defeat left England with their third white-ball loss in four matches. South Africa's power-hitting and depth in the shorter format underlined their status as one of the favourites for next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, while England will need victories in Manchester on Friday and Nottingham on Sunday to prevent South Africa securing a series win.

Match officials and team management will now turn attention to the remainder of the three-match series and the condition of players after a fixture played in difficult conditions that offered limited opportunities to assess form or tactics.