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:
Broad and Anderson targeting Ashes tests
England’s veteran bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad have “got their eyes set” on next summer’s Ashes series says captain Ben Stokes.
Both seamers were dropped for England’s tour of West Indies in March as part of a resetting of the England team following a bruising defeat in Australia.
However, Joe Root stepped down as captain after the West Indies and both seamers returned to play a key part in Ben Stokes’ side winning five of their six Tests this summer.
“I honestly just can’t see a point where they decide it’s time for them to step away,” said Stokes. “Jimmy has come out and said how much fun he’s had and Broady’s influence in the dressing room is the best I’ve seen while playing with him over the years.
“The conversations he has had not only with me but the other bowlers, how he wants to help them and stuff like that is something he’s taken to another level.”
Start delayed
The umpires have completed their checks of the pitch and the outfield and have decided that start will be delayed by half an hour to give the ground more time to dry out.
The toss will take place at 11am with play starting at 11:30am.
England’s starting XI
England make just one change to the test side that took on South Africa at Old Trafford. Jonny Bairstow’s broken leg forces him out of the team with Harry Brook making his test match debut.
Ollie Robinson keeps his place after an impressive performance at Old Trafford.
Jonny Bairstow out of third South Africa Test and T20 World Cup with ‘freak golf injury’
Here are the full details of Jonny Bairstow’s absence.
Bairstow has been ruled out of England’s third Test with South Africa and the upcoming T20 World Cup after suffering an injury while playing golf.
Bairstow has been England’s stand-out player under the new Test regime of coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, racking up runs against New Zealand and India at the start of the summer, and was due to play in the deciding Test against the South Africans at the Oval next week.
The batsman was also expected to play a key role at the World Cup in Australia, which begins on 16th October, and was named in the England squad on Friday morning at around the time the incident occurred.
Jonny Bairstow out of Test and World Cup with ‘freak golf injury’
Bairstow slipped walking to a tee box and suffered a leg injury which will require surgery
Overnight rain
The weather over The Oval looks a little overcast and cloudy but the sun is trying to peak through the clouds. There has been a lot of rain overnight and the ground is a bit damp but the players are warming up on the outfield.
The umpires are giving the wicket a check over at 10:15 to see if play can start on time at 11 o’clock.
Ollie Robinson has become a ‘gym freak’ to put England career back on track
Ollie Robinson has revealed how embracing life as a “gym freak” helped put his England career back on track.
Robinson made his first Test appearance in seven months at Emirates Old Trafford, helping to wrap up an innings victory over South Africa with match figures of five for 91.
The 6ft 5in seamer was all smiles as he put the finishing touch to the three-day finish in Manchester, clean bowling Lungi Ngidi in comprehensive fashion, but it took plenty of hard work and some frank conversations to reach that point.
Ollie Robinson has become a ‘gym freak’ to put England career back on track
The seamer put the finishing touch to the second Test victory over South Africa on his return to the team.
Robinson back in form
Ollie Robinson returned to the England team at Old Trafford and picked up where he left off after being forced out of the series against West Indies with injury.
Following a difficult Ashes series down under, Robinson’s fitness levels were called into question by England bowling coach Jon Lewis but the 28-year-old has worked hard to get back to match fitness.
He took 5-91 across both of South Africa’s innings in Manchester and now has 44 wickets in 10 appearances at a incredible average of 20.93.
England now have depth in the bowling department with Matt Potts also impressing this summer and of course James Anderson and Stuart Broad continue to show why they are two of England’s bests.
England batter Harry Brook is huge talent but ‘a bit dumb’, says Ben Stokes
England captain Ben Stokes believes Harry Brook is a “huge talent” but was less complimentary about the Test newcomer’s intellect, describing him as “a bit dumb”.
Yorkshire batter Brook is poised to make his red-ball debut in his country’s series decider against South Africa at the Kia Oval after being selected in place of the injured Jonny Bairstow.
The 23-year-old has been patiently awaiting an opportunity all summer and underlined his capabilities last month with a superb knock of 140 for England Lions in a tour game against the Proteas.
Stokes is a big admirer of his Northern Superchargers team-mate’s on-field talents, albeit his overall appraisal was not entirely glowing.
England batter Harry Brook is huge talent but ‘a bit dumb’, says Ben Stokes
The Yorkshire batter is set to make his Test debut in the series decider against South Africa
Brook to make England debut
Jonny Bairstow’s absence provides an opportunity for Yorkshire’s Harry Brook who has been waiting for his chance to take the step up to test match level.
The 23-year-old has played four T20s for England and has been in every Test squad this summer without playing a game.
The right-hander averages 36 in first-class cricket and made 140 for England Lions against South Africa in a warm-up match for the Test series.
“Hopefully he can take the opportunity with both hands and put even more pressure on the batting line-up,” said Stokes.
“The style he goes about things is exactly what we want in that middle order. Jonny [Bairstow] has set the tone, style and manner in which the middle order likes to play.
“I think we get a like-for-like replacement with the aggressive intent, the positive way Harry wants to show off his skills.”
Bairstow to miss final test
Jonny Bairstow definitely out of this week’s final test match with South Africa and is likely to miss the rest of the year after suffering a broken leg slipping whilst playing golf last Friday.
“I’m devastated for Jonny with the summer he’s had and the T20 World Cup coming up,” said England captain Ben Stokes.
“It’s really unfortunate timing but he can be really proud of what he’s achieved this summer. He’s been the catalyst of the revival and he should definitely hold his head high.”
Bairstow has been a crucial part for England’s success this summer scoring 681 runs from the middle order at an average of 61.9. He’s scored four hundreds in 11 innings including two match winning knocks against New Zealand and India.
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