AP, London :
South Africa cruised to a consolation seven-wicket victory against England in the third and final one-day international to trim the series loss to 2-1 on Monday.
Kagiso Rabada (4-39) and Wayne Parnell (3-43) plundered England, which rallied from 20-6 to 153 all out in the 32nd over.
South Africa made 156-3 in 28.5 overs, built on a 95-run opening stand between Hashim Amla (55) and Quinton de Kock (34).
Both openers were clean bowled in successive overs before JP Duminy (28 not out) and captain AB de Villiers (27 not out) shared a half-century stand to carry South Africa home.
“We had a lot to play for today, and there are some encouraging signs,” de Villiers said. “The boys hung onto almost everything that came their way. The intensity was very good.”
Earlier, England crumbled against Rabada and Parnell. It was a dramatic turn of fortune at Lord’s, after England scored more than 300 runs in Leeds and Southampton to win the first two internationals.
Rabada’s three-wicket burst in one over left England reeling at 20-6 inside the first five overs, the first time in an ODI that half a dozen wickets fell in the first 30 balls of a match.
“We seemed to nick everything,” England captain Eoin Moran said.
“If you look at our dismissals, South Africa didn’t let us get away. Sometimes you have to sit in. It was a nice reminder. Today wasn’t our day.”
Jonny Bairstow top-scored with 51, but England’s middle-order looked vulnerable in the absence of the rested Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, and Chris Woakes.
Morgan’s team made a dismal start with Rababa claiming Alex Hales, Jos Buttler and Adil Rashid in one over.
Bairstow featured in two half-century stands with David Willey (26) and debutant Toby Roland-Jones (37 not out), but the top order collapse had already done enough damage.
Bairstow was finally stumped in the 28th over after hitting eight fours in his 67-ball knock as left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj (3-25) wrapped up the innings.
