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

Jonny Bairstow's devastating 90 helped England beat South Africa by 41 runs in a breathless, high-scoring first Twenty20 international in Bristol.

Bairstow added 106 with Moeen Ali, who smacked 52 from 18 balls, in a riotous fourth-wicket stand lasting 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 game, while Moeen's 16-ball fifty was the fastest by an England player.

The pair heaped misery on a ragged South Africa side, who dropped Bairstow four times in a fielding performance that bordered on comical.

Despite losing both Quinton de Kock and Rilee Rossouw in the second over, the visitors threatened to pull off what would have been their record chase as 21-year-old Tristan Stubbs smashed an astonishing 72 from 28 balls.

But Chris Jordan bowled a nerveless 18th over and, with 51 needed from the final two, Stubbs was caught at long-off from the bowling of Richard Gleeson.

The Lancashire seamer took two further wickets in the over and South Africa ended on 193-8.

The second match of the three-match series takes place on Thursday in Cardiff as both sides build towards the T20 World Cup in the autumn.

• Reaction to England's emphatic win in Bristol

The summer of Bairstow continues

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

He flogged the spinners and hammered anything short as he targeted the leg side. One of his eight sixes, hit over square leg off medium pacer Andile Phehlukwayo, cleared the stands.

Bairstow, dropped on 12, 57, 72 and 77, benefitted hugely from South Africa's shambolic fielding while Moeen cleared the ropes six times with typical elegance.

At one stage England threatened to pass their highest T20 score of 241-3, hit against New Zealand in 2019.

Bairstow began the final over unbeaten on 90 but lost the strike to a leg-bye, saw Liam Livingstone depart caught behind for five and then holed out himself to deep mid-wicket from the penultimate ball.

Still, after Bairstow sat out England's T20 series defeat to India earlier this month, it was a welcome return for the Yorkshireman and a batting line-up in need of a boost as they look to return to form and build towards the World Cup in Australia.

More to follow