Cape Town - Rain has halted the Proteas run-chase at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein with the home side on 250 for 5 in the 34th over and needing a further 150 runs for victory.
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Led by a century from Quinton de Kock (138* off 96 balls), the Proteas had made a valiant effort to keep up with the required run-rate despite the early loss of Hashim Amla.
Faf du Plessis (55) and De Kock kept the English bowlers under immense pressure during a partnership of 111 for the second wicket.
Du Plessis fell to Moeen Ali bringing Proteas captain AB de Villiers to the wicket, but he was brilliantly caught by Ben Stokes on the long-on boundary for 8.
Wickets continued to fall regularly with JP Duminy (13) and Rilee Rossouw (19) unable to build any significant partnerships with De Kock.
Farhaan Behardien then joined the Proteas wicketkeeper in the middle when a storm that had threatened for much of the evening, finally broke.
The Proteas would require a Duckworth-Lewis total of 290 after 34 overs to win the match should the rain wash out play for the evening.