England v South Africa: Jonny Bairstow and Tristan Stubbs star as hosts win in Bristol

England defeated South Africa by 41 runs in the first Twenty20 international in Bristol.

Bairstow's 53-ball assault helped England to their second highest T20 score of 234-6.

Bairstow and Ali added 106 in just 37 balls as one over went for 33 runs.

In total, England hit 20 sixes, the most they have ever hit in a T20.

Bairstow was dropped four times in a fielding performance that bordered on comical.

Despite losing both Rilee Rossouw and Quinton de Kock in the second over, the visitors still had a chance to set a world record.

With 51 needed from the final two overs, Stubbs was caught off the bowling of Richard Gleeson.

South Africa ended the over on a high note, with the Lancashire seamer taking two more strikes.

The second match of the three- match series takes place on Thursday in Wales as both sides prepare for the T20 World Cup.

• Reaction to England's emphatic win in Bristol

The summer of Bairstow continues

Bairstow's brutality was similar to his 77-ball century against New Zealand, the highlight of his four centuries in three Tests this summer.

He hit the spinners with anything he could get his hands on. One of his eight sixes was hit over the square leg of Andile.

Bairstow benefited hugely from South Africa's shambolic fielding while Moeen cleared the ropes six times.

England was on the verge of passing their highest T20 score against New Zealand.

Bairstow began the final over without a run on the board but lost the strike to a leg-bye and then holed out from the last ball of the match.

After Bairstow sat out England's T20 series defeat to India, it was a welcome return for the Yorkshireman and a boost for the batting line-up.

Jordan holds nerve as Stubbs threatens the impossible

The result seemed to be a formality when De Kock and Rossouw were caught.

Despite opening the batting, England's grip tightened further when Adil Rashid had Heinrich Klaasen caught long-on in his first over and Reeza Hendricks swept Moeen to deep mid-century.

But, with the run-rate spiralling, what started as an impressive reply from Stubbs turned into a thrilling attack to keep the game going.

Playing his third match but batting for his country for the first time, he showed incredible power to repeatedly clear the leg side boundary by a long way.

After 16 overs, South Africa were 171-5 and ahead of England, but Jordan produced a clinic in death bowling.

He gave up three singles and three dot balls to Andile.

There is more to come.