England vs South Africa LIVE: Cricket score and third Test result as England seal series victory
England notched the 33 runs they needed to win the game at The Oval and secure a 2-1 series victory over the Proteas
England polished off the remaining runs they needed to beat South Africa by nine wickets in the third Test at the Oval on Monday morning to secure a 2-1 series victory.
Openers Zak Crawley and Alex Lees were still at the crease as the hosts began the day requiring just 33 runs for victory after bad light stopped play on Sunday evening.
Lees was dropped by Proteas wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne from the third ball of the morning and then survived another scare when a thick edge flew over Keegan Petersen at third slip to go for four but the Proteas made a breakthrough on the penultimate delivery of the third over of the day, with Lees’ fortune finally running out as a review showed he had been trapped lbw by Kagiso Rabada.
The Durham batter was out for 39 with England 22 runs from clinching the series but Ollie Pope joined Crawley at the crease to quickly knock them off, as the under-fire opener eased the pressure on himself somewhat by ending unbeaten on 69 and cap a remarkable summer for England’s Test team.
Follow reaction to the third Test below:
South Africa 99-7 (33), Maharaj 14, Jansen 30, Broad 2-32 (11)
Broad sends down a maiden. His last delivery misses the outside edge of Maharaj’s bat and just trickles over the top of off-stump. That’s as close as you can get without taking a wicket.
South Africa 99-7 (32), Maharaj 14, Jansen 30, Robinson 4-39 (12)
Close! Robinson finishes the over off by going back to his bread and butter - a tight line just oustside off-stump. Jansen attempts the drive and plays inside the ball which narrowly avoids the outside edge.
South Africa 99-7 (31.3), Maharaj 14, Jansen 30, Robinson 4-39 (11.3)
Jansen takes a single off Robinson which brings Maharaj back on strike. The seamer then bangs in a tame short ball that allows Maharaj to rock back and hook the ball away for four runs!
Great shot from the number nine.
He does it again with the next delivery but only collects one as Jack Leach has been sent out to the fence as cover.
South Africa 93-7 (31), Maharaj 9, Jansen 29, Broad 2-32 (10)
Glorious from Maharaj! Broad errs with his line allowing Maharaj to wrap his wrists over a cut short and spank the ball away for four runs!
Broad responds with one that nips back and clips Maharaj’s back pad before fizzing through to the wicketkeeper.
South Africa 89-7 (30), Maharaj 5, Jansen 29, Robinson 4-33 (11)
Four runs! That’s a lovely looking shot from Marco Jansen who strides down the pitch and drives Ollie Robinson down the ground for another boundary.
After over-steppping for a no-ball Robinson digs a couple of short ones in to Jansen who deals with them easily.
South Africa 84-7 (29.3), Maharaj 5, Jansen 25, Robinson 4-28 (10.3)
Two dropped catches from England in the previous over as Ollie Robinson continues and they were both off Marco Jansen who is South Africa’s last recognised batter.
Maharaj picks up another run with an edge into square leg to bring the big all-rounder back on strike.
South Africa 83-7 (28.5), Maharaj 4, Jansen 25, Broad 2-24 (8.5)
Stuart Broad is fuming. Marco Jansen goes after another big drive through the covers and nicks the ball to fourth slip. It’s Ollie Pope who leaps low to his left and spills the ball.
To make matters worse it flies away to the boundary for four runs.
South Africa 79-7 (28.2), Maharaj 4, Jansen 21, Broad 2-24 (8.2)
Dropped! Stuart Broad draws Marco Jansen into a big drive and finds the slightest edge through to Ben Foakes. Foakes seems to have it covered as he drops to his right but the ball moves away at the last moment missing Foakes’ gloves and dropping to the turf.
It’s a reprieve for Jansen!
South Africa 79-7 (28), Maharaj 4, Jansen 21, Robinson 4-27 (10)
Oh my! Keshav Maharaj judges a delivery from Ollie Robinson perfectly as he leaves the ball just when it nips back before sailing an inch or so over the top of middle stump.
Maharaj clips a straight ball to fine leg and picks up two more runs which takes him to 1000 runs in test match cricket for South Africa.
South Africa 77-7 (27), Maharaj 2, Jansen 21, Broad 2-24 (8)
Maharaj is going to sit back in his crease and wait for the short ball. Ben Stokes has sent James Anderson to the boundary’s edge just backward of deep square leg.
It seems to be a double bluff from England as Broad continues to pitch the ball up and target the stumps. A couple of deliveries hit Maharaj on the pads but they’re going down the leg-side and England don’t bother appealling.
A thick inside edge from Maharaj squirts the ball into midwicket and he takes the single on offer.
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