England one-day captain Eoin Morgan joked that a comment about Joe Root's heroics may have caused their defeat on Thursday.
The tourists looked set to secure the fourth one-day international against South Africa, only for a blitz of late hitting from Chris Morris - after being dropped on 14 by Adil Rashid - turned it around at the Wanderers.
It set up Sunday's series-decider in Cape Town, but Morgan admitted the match was theirs for the taking, particularly after the efforts of Root, whose 109 followed his career-best 125 at Centurion three days earlier.
Having remarked previously that the Yorkshireman's runs tend to spell victory for England, Morgan stated: "I said in the last game as well, when he scores hundreds we normally win.
"Maybe I put a jinx on him - but I want him to score another one."
Morgan cannot afford to be too downcast for long, with a decider in the offing so soon.
"For our hopes in the series, it is probably not that big a blow," he added of England's second defeat. "Ultimately, it will come down to that last game - and we're really looking forward to it."
Morris thought he had blown his big chance, before his big-hitting ambush. Recalling the moment when he was sure he tried to hit Reece Topley over the top and was going to be caught at mid-off, Morris said: "When it went up, the first thing I thought was 'idiot!'.
"The length was there for me to cut ... but my mind-set was mid-off was up - so I thought if I just get half a piece of wood on it, then it's going to go.
"I did get half a piece of wood on it, and it went straight up. We've got a saying... 'my heart fell through my bum' ..."
Morris made England pay with a maiden ODI 50 and a display of sustained hitting for four sixes and three fours from 38 balls in a stand of 52 with Kyle Abbott.
Watch the fifth and final one-day international between South Africa and England live on Sky Sports 2 this Sunday from 7.30am.