England beats South Africa by 6 wickets

Ian Bell hit 88 from 137 balls, with a six and eight fours, as England closed on 224-4, overhauling South Africa's 220-8 with 20 balls to spare on Sunday. Bell put on a second-wicket stand of 141 with Jonathan Trott, who was England's next highest scorer with 48.

Dale Steyn had South Africa's best bowling figures with 2-47, but the tourists were always struggling to defend a modest total. England's bowlers did well to restrict South Africa after the Proteas had reached 100-1.

Spinner James Tredwell atoned for dropping two catches by claiming 3-35, while medium pacer Ravi Bopara took 2-34 and wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter had three stumpings and two catches. Hashim Amla survived an early scare to finish as the tourists' top scorer with 45, while captain AB de Villiers made 39.

"It was a really good performance again," England captain Alastair Cook said. "Clearly when you win the toss in those conditions you want to make the most of it and I thought we did that, even though we didn't quite get the wickets early on. We hung in there and we got our rewards later."

De Villiers admitted his side had once again wasted a promising start. "We had a good foundation with our openers but unfortunately the middle order failed again so we'll have to have a look at that," he said. "The guys will just have to step up to the plate, including myself. We keep getting in and we're not converting to big numbers and that's the only issue at the moment."

After winning the toss, England chose to bowl in overcast, damp conditions. Amla was dropped — for the sixth time this summer — when Tredwell put down a slip catch off Steven Finn with the batsman on 4.

Smith was on 26 when he slashed Finn and was dropped by Tredwell at first slip, who may have been distracted by Kieswetter's dive. Amla hit the first six of the match when he smashed Jade Dernbach back over his head, but England belatedly broke through in the 20th over when Smith tried to pull Dernbach and was caught behind for 29.

Bopara then bowled Amla and Tredwell deceived JP Duminy, who charged down the pitch and was stumped for 18. Faf du Plessis made just 1 when he played on to Bopara and de Villiers tried to accelerate, but was beaten in the flight by Tredwell and stumped for 39.

Tredwell and Kieswetter removed Wayne Parnell in almost identical fashion for 5 but the hosts' indifferent fielding continued when James Anderson missed the chance to run out Peterson in the same 44th over.

Peterson responded by switch-hitting Tredwell for six and his seventh-wicket stand of 40 with Dean Elgar pushed South Africa to a respectable total, before Elgar was caught behind off Finn's slower ball in the penultimate over for 35.

Ryan McLaren (1) fell to Finn's next delivery. Having survived a strong lbw shout McLaren scrambled a single but was run out by a direct hit from Dernbach as he chased a second. Cook's poor form continued when he was lbw to Dale Steyn for 2 in the first over, his eighth innings without passing 50, but the hosts shrugged off the blow.

Although Trott was hit on the right hand, he batted through the pain and with Bell helped to put England back in charge. Bell hit Peterson for six over extra cover and dabbed Steyn to third man for two to bring up his 50, from 88 balls.

Peterson then dropped Bell off Tsotsobe at mid on when the batsman was on 65 but Elgar briefly rekindled South Africa's fading hopes when he trapped Trott lbw, on referral, for 48. After a 15-minute rain delay Bopara was caught behind for 6 off McLaren.

Bell was also caught behind off a top edge to Steyn but Eoin Morgan steered England to safety with an unbeaten 36 and Kieswetter (21 not out) sealed the win in spectacular style when he smashed Steyn back over his head for six.

The result means England will stay top of the ICC world rankings until at least January 2012, regardless of the outcome of the fifth ODI at Trent Bridge on Wednesday.