England collapsed to 111 all out against South Africa in the Twenty20 World Cup on Thursday after an inept batting display marked by poor shot selection at Trent Bridge.

Wayne Parnell took 3-14 from four overs and Jacques Kallis and Roelof van der Merwe took two wickets each, while Owais Shah was England's top scorer with 38.

England captain Paul Collingwood's decision to bat after winning the toss initially looked bold, but after just 11 balls England had lost both openers.

Ravi Bopara was clean bowled by Dale Steyn with the final ball of the first over and Luke Wright was dismissed with the fifth ball of the second, caught by Mark Boucher off Wayne Parnell.

England then crawled along at four an over, until Kallis replaced Steyn at the Trent End and went for nine runs in the fifth.

That momentum was immediately squandered when Roelof van der Merwe brilliantly removed Kevin Pietersen for 19 with a diving, two-handed catch off Albie Morkel in the next over - the first maiden of the tournament.

At the halfway point, England was 47-3, but Shah then temporarily seized the initiative, smashing two fours and a six off the 12th over, only for England to suffer another collapse.

James Foster and Dimitri Mascarenhas came and went with embarrassing speed, both for one, Kallis got Shah with a leg-cutter and Graeme Swann was caught by Morkel for five after a swish at Johan Botha.

Ironic applause greeted the 100, made off 17.5 overs, but England failed to complete their full 20 overs as the last man, James Anderson, was bowled by Parnell off the penultimate ball.

AP