England rampage to world record 304 as Phil Salt scores fastest ever century in T20 hammering of South Africa

PHIL SALT led England’s astonishing record-breaking rampage as they piled up 304-2 in just 20 overs.

It was the highest total between Test teams in the history of Twenty20 cricket.

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Salt contributed 141 not out from 60 balls, Jos Buttler made 83 from 30 deliveries and left a mountain of shattered numbers at Old Trafford.

England won by 146 runs and the series is level at 1-1 after South Africa’s victory in the rain-ruined farce at Cardiff on Wednesday.

Salt made the fastest T20 century of all time by an England batter from just 39 balls – beating the previous record of 42 balls by Liam Livingstone.

There have been eight T20 centuries by England batsmen and Salt has four of them. This was the highest of the lot.

The six-over powerplay total of 100-0 was England’s best and their halfway score of 166-1 from ten overs was the biggest by any country.

Belted balls were flying in all directions and the scoreboard was climbing like a petrol pump with someone filling their car.

England struck 18 sixes and 30 fours – that’s 228 in boundaries alone.

The power and quality of England’s hitting was incredible but they were helped by some truly dreadful and clueless bowling by South Africa.

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The Proteas collapsed under the pressure of England’s batting fusillade.

Seamer Lizaad Williams conceded 62 runs in three overs and even Kagiso Rabada, their star bowler, went for 70 in four overs and sent down four free-hit no-balls.

Salt said: “I honestly never thought I’d play in a game when 300 was scored. I’ve played in some IPL games when we’ve gone bananas and ended up with 270. It’s a hell of an achievement.”

Captain Harry Brook admitted he was “lost for words” and added: “With our batting line-up, there aren’t many heights we can’t reach.”

Salt might not have played if Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith hadn’t withdrawn from the series because of fatigue.

He struck the first three balls of the match to the boundary and finished the opening over with a six off 6ft 8ins left-armer Marco Jansen.

After that, Buttler hogged the strike and plundered his way to a half-century from 18 balls – the third fastest for England.

He looked destined for three figures until holing out at deep backward square.

Salt then took over as England swept past their previous T20 highest of 267-3 against West Indies and the Test nations’ record of 297-6 by India against Bangladesh.

There have been two higher totals in T20 internationals when the suffering countries were Gambia and Mongolia.

South Africa reached 50 in the fourth over of their reply and looked set for something special themselves. But a clatter of wickets stalled their chase.

Proteas coach Shukri Conrad admitted: “It was an abject bowling performance. We were bereft of ideas, lost our disciplines and one-dimensional.”

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