Moeen Ali scored England’s fastest half-century in T20Is and Jonny Bairstow’sgolden summer continued with a brutal 90 in a 41-run victory over South Africa on Wednesday in the first match of their three-game series.

England posted a massive234/6 in their 20 overs, helped by the small boundaries at the County Ground, as Moeentook 16 balls to reach 52 before he fell to South African seamerLungi Ngidi, who recorded career-best figures of 5/39.

South Africa kept up with the rate for most of their reply but could not muster the explosive finish to match England in the final four overs as they ended on 193/8.

The highlight was a thrilling72 from 28 deliveries by21-year-old Tristan Stubbs, who announced himself on the international stage with the second fastest half-century in T20 matches for South Africa, off 19 balls.

Opener Reeza Hendricks scored a brisk 57 from 33 deliveries to get the innings underway, but the visitors left themselves with too much to do at the end.

South Africa were at times their own worst enemies in the field, handing Bairstow four lives with a succession of relatively simple dropped catches.

Brief scores: England 234/6 in 20 overs (Jonny Bairstow 90, MoeenAli 52, Dawid Malan 43; LungiNgidi 5/39). South Africa 193/8 in20 overs (Tristan Stubbs 72, ReezaHendricks 57; Richard Gleeson3/51). England won by 41 runs.

Written with inputs from Reuters