England will face world champions Sri Lanka in a one-day triangular series final despite a 14-run defeat by South Africa at Edgbaston yesterday.

All three teams finished with one win and one loss but South Africa went out because of inferior run rate.

England, chasing a victory target of 245, needed to be dismissed for 198 or less for South Africa to qualify for the Lord's decider. They made 230.

Powerful hitting by veteran spinner Pat Symcox rescued South Africa from 172 for six on a difficult batting surface after captain Hansie Cronje had surprisingly opted to bat first.

Symcox, batting number eight, smashed four sixes and two fours in 51 from just 39 balls.

English captain Alec Stewart went for 27 but Nick Knight and Graeme Hick put England back on track for a time with a third wicket stand of 113 that took the total to 161.

But England folded after a clever slower ball from Cronje saw Hick chip a tame catch to mid-on having made 64 and Knight was bowled by Symcox for 74.