CHRIS JORDAN was back among the wickets for England as they stumbled to a one-run loss against South Africa in the first T20 of the series in East London.

The Sussex all-rounder and T20 specialist moved to within ten wickets of becoming England’s leading wicket-taker in T20I history with figures of 2-28.

He took centre stage at the end of the South Africa innings as they made 177-8.

He clean-bowled Dwaine Pretorius and then Beuran Hendricks from his next delivery to leave South Africa 172-7.

Andile Phehlukwayo was next to go from the last ball, run out by Jordan on 18.

Earlier he had made it look easy when he caught David Miller as he attempted to clear mid-off from a Tom Curran delivery.

But it all proved in vain as England contrived to lose when clear favourites after half-centuries from Jason Roy and Eoin Morgan.

Roy lit the touchpaper with a blistering 70 off 38 balls while Morgan (52 off 34) was at his belligerent best in the penultimate over to leave England needing seven from the last six deliveries.

However, Tom Curran holed out before Moeen Ali was bowled by Lungi Ngidi, which left England needing two from the last ball, and Adil Rashid was run out coming back for the second as South Africa drew first blood in the three-match series.