Reece Topley (2-17) takes two wickets in an over as South Africa slip to 6-4, chasing 202; Adil Rashid (3-29) mops up the tail to bowl the tourists out for the joint-lowest ODI score versus England; Watch the series-deciding third ODI on Sunday (10.30am on air, 11am start)

Reece Topley took two wickets in an over as South Africa were reduced to 6-4 inside the opening four overs of their run chase

England levelled the series with a 118-run hammering of South Africa in a rain-affected second one-day international at Emirates Old Trafford.

Chasing 202 in a 29-over-a-side clash, England incredibly reduced South Africa to 6-4 inside the opening four overs of their reply before ultimately bowling them out for 83 – their joint-lowest total against England in ODI cricket.

Janneman Malan and, centurion from the series opener, Rassie van der Dussen departed in the same Reece Topley (2-17) over for ducks, while David Willey (1-9) picked up Quinton de Kock (5) and Jos Buttler ran out Aiden Markram without facing in the next.

England’s main concern from that point on was the light rain that had returned in Manchester and the potential for it to force the players off before the 20-over mark of the innings, which needed to be reached in order to constitute a result.

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England bowlers, with the help of a remarkable Jos Buttler run out, fight back against South Africa with the visitors reduced to 6-4 in the fourth over.

Buttler turned to spin at both ends to rattle through the overs and not only did they manage to do so, but Moeen Ali (2-22) picked up Henrich Klaasen (33) and Adil Rashid (3-29) ran through the lower order.

Earlier, another sputtering innings from the hosts saw them bowled out short of their full allocation of overs for a fifth-successive time in ODI cricket this summer.

Dwaine Pretorius claimed career-best figures of 4-36, including the key wickets of Joe Root (1) and Jonny Bairstow (28) in the same over as England slipped to 101-6 after being inserted by the opposition at the toss.

Phil Salt managed 17 in his first ODI of the summer – in for the retired Ben Stokes – before he fell in much the same manner Jason Roy (14) had earlier, plinking an attempted pull to short midwicket.

Root played an uncharacteristically poor shot, a horrible hack across the line that he succeeded only in top-edging high and behind to De Kock, while Bairstow was bowled, beaten by a slower delivery.

Moeen Ali (6) quickly came and went, holing out to deep square-leg off Keshav Maharaj (1-29), while Shamsi accounted for Buttler (19), caught at short third man off a thick outside edge.

Liam Livingstone (38 off 26) and Sam Curran (35 off 18) rescued the innings somewhat with a couple of exhilarating cameos but both perished in the midst of a boundary blitz.

Livingstone smashed three sixes and a four from the first four balls of Anrich Nortje’s 21st over, before falling to the fifth, and Curran reaped 14 from the first three deliveries of Tabraiz Shamsi’s 24th only to perish to the fourth.

Willey (21) too went six and out as Pretorius took his fourth while the tail then limped along till Rashid (12) was run out courtesy of an assist from a pigeon to see England bowled out for 201 with five balls to spare.

South Africa never once threatened that score after losing four wickets inside the first four overs of their chaotic reply.

Curran picked up the fifth, bowling David Miller (12) in the ninth over, before the spinners set about their work – Moeen taking the final wicket four balls past the 20-over mark to see England to a convincing, series-levelling victory.

Watch the second ODI between England and South Africa live on Sky Sports Cricket on Friday. Coverage starts at 12.30pm with the first ball at 1pm.