Paul Collingwood was "ecstatic" with the character of his players after England won their first ever T20 international over SA.

Half-centuries from the captain himself and man-of-the-match Eoin Morgan helped put England on track for the win after they posted a highest-ever 20-over total of 202.

In response, the Proteas could only manage 127 for three when rain began to fall in Johannesburg, forcing the game to be abandoned with England prevailing by one run under the Duckworth/Lewis method.

Collingwood was keen for the manner of the win not to overshadow a fine display from his side, who only three nights earlier had been bundled all out for 89 by South Africa A in Bloemfontein to fall to a four-wicket loss.

"Absolutely, I'm pleased with the way we've bounced back from that warm-up game," he said. "Obviously it's completely different conditions, but just the attitude we took out there tonight showed that we backed ourselves.

"I think all the guys realised that the other night was just a slight blip and we can play a lot better than that.

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"There are little areas that we've obviously got to improve on a little bit, but I'm ecstatic with the way we've bounced back from the disappointing result the other night."

The skipper was also pleased with the way South Africa-born Jonathan Trott had set the tone with his quickfire 33 in what was his first appearance against his former countrymen. There was also praise for Morgan, whose stunning 85 off 45 balls was the highest ever score by an England batsman in 20-over internationals.

Collingwood continued: "There was some exceptional batting, the way Trotty kind of got the innings going there up top.

"And then the way Morgs came in and some of the stroke play was just exceptional. We managed to get a good total at last and it was always going to be hard to chase down."

Asked whether he was keeping a close watch on the weather and the complicated Duckworth/Lewis calculations, he joked: "I did have it in my pocket and as the rain was falling a little bit heavier, I changed from the sheet that I had on every over, to a sheet that would detail every ball.

"Whether I understood it 100% or not is a different question, but thankfully we came out at the top on the end."

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Opposite number Graeme Smith was not so amused by the miscalculation from his side, but refused to point a finger at either AB de Villiers or Albie Morkel, who needed just seven from the 13th over to force a tie.

They got six off the James Anderson over and their captain said: "They had their Duckworth/Lewis sheets and it's on the scoreboard, so I can't really be doing shuttles up and down there with the sheet.

"The biggest part of captaincy is to trust your players. Players will grow from decisions they make - the good and the bad - but I'm certainly not blaming anybody.

"We were ahead of it for two or three overs and it had been raining for a period of time already. I guess it's hard to decide when it's really going to come down.

"I think it is disappointing we didn't keep ahead in that over, but if we had come off an over before we were ahead of the game. So from that perspective it's disappointing."

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