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:
England vs South Africa: Lunch report
Left-arm seamer Marco Jansen took a career best 5-35 as South Africa bowled England out for 158 early on day four of the third and final test at The Oval on Sunday, before moving into the lead on 70 for one at lunch in their second innings.
Captain Dean Elgar was 35 not out and Keegan Petersen on seven with the touring side 30 runs ahead having seen off the new ball in difficult batting conditions.
The game has moved forward at pace with 20 wickets falling in four sessions after day one was washed out by rain and the second was cancelled as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth.
Both teams’ first innings lasted 36.2 overs as the seamers made hay on a helpful wicket, but England were frustrated in their search for a breakthrough, not helped by wayward lines that gave the visitors regular scoring opportunities.
There is still plenty in the wicket, and Elgar and fellow opener Erwee (26) rode their luck before the latter edged England captain Ben Stokes to Joe Root at first slip with the score on 58.
England had resumed the day on 154 for seven, but lost their last three wickets in 13 minutes for the addition of four runs.
Kagiso Rabada (4-81) had Ollie Robinson (3) caught by Elgar at short mid-off, before Jack Leach played the ball onto his stumps off the speedster.
Jansen wrapped up the innings when he claimed a first five- wicket haul in test cricket when Ben Foakes (14) edged a delivery to Petersen at third slip.
The series is poised at 1-1 after both teams won by an innings inside three days in the two previous games.
LUNCH: South Africa 70/1 (19.0), Elgar 35, Petersen 7
Elgar and Petersen avoid another breakthrough.
They get to lunch and have a lead of 30 runs.
Advantage Proteas.
WICKET! Erwee 26 (53) c. Root b. Stokes, South Africa 58/1 (15.3)
Stokes gets the breakthrough, magic from the captain!
It’s a fuller length and Erwee comes at it and is deceived by the swing.
It’s low, but Root gets low and grasps it, smart catch. The lead is 18 runs.
South Africa 57/0 (14.0), Elgar 30, Erwee 26
The lead is up to 17, England having conversations over a new ball?
The Proteas look to have the momentum here.
South Africa 45/0 (11.0), Elgar 25, Erwee 19
Erwee sends Broad to the boundary, South Africa lead by five runs.
England bowling a little short and need a change of plan here.
Anderson back on, will Stokes bowl soon? Breakthrough needed to set up a manageable chase.
Elgar caught off guard there, it’s spat up from the wicket and pinged to fourth slip.
South Africa 32/0 (8.0), Elgar 16, Erwee 15
Stuart Broad now on for England, who search for a breakthrough, as the lead is about to vanish.
Still up by eight runs, the Proteas have started superbly.
Elgar is digging in, very gritty and the pressure could switch to England if he continues.
South Africa 15/0 (6.0), Elgar 10, Erwee 5
Dropped? Length ball and nudged to Anderson, it’s grabbed on the bounce.
A few moans from the Oval crowd.
South Africa 15/0 (5.0), Elgar 10, Erwee 5
Robinson thinks he’s got a catch here, Erwee nicks it to fifth slip!
The crowd aren’t sure, but go up with a crackle around the Oval.
The soft signal from Nitin Menon is not out, Chris Gaffaney could overrule but the replay shows a little brush of the turf before Anderson snaffled it.
England vs South Africa
WICKET! Foakes 14 (35) c. Petersen b. Jansen, England 158 (36.2)
Foakes flicks to third slip, Jansen with a beauty, England all out for 158, a lead of 40 runs.
A big applause from the Oval crowd as the players come off the pitch, Jansen has his five-for.
This game is alive!
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