England move closer to victory over South Africa despite Dean Elgar's defiant century

Toby Roland-Jones struck twice in two balls to break up the overnight pair before Elgar moved to three figures after a brilliant and nuggety innings

Toby Roland-Jones' two wickets in two balls put England on course for victory (Getty)

To review or not review, that is the question or at least it was on the final morning of the third Test here at The Oval.

First came the non-review which would have for a differing gut feeling from Joe Root seen centurion Dean Elgar sent back to the pavilion still 27 short of three figures. He would instead move to his milestone after an innings of tremendous courage where while all those around him were losing theirs he kept his composure in the face of a ferocious assault.

Then came the actual review, and what a decision it was as Temba Bavuma, a thorn in the hosts’ side more than once on this tour, was dismissed after a Toby Roland-Jones delivery cannoned into his pads inside the line of off stump by the smallest of small margins to spark what should be England’s march to victory.

Toby Roland-Jones once again made the breakthrough for England (Getty)

For much of this morning session it did not look that way. Elgar and Bavuma resumed knowing they must defy history, but after Stuart Broad’s non-referral came and went they looked more than assured as Root juggled his pack to no avail to shift the obdurate overnight pair.

Dean Elgar provided the only real resistance as his teammates wilted around him (Getty)

They passed a hundred together off 184 nuggety and defiant balls and looked set to frustrate deep into the afternoon before Roland-Jones, hero of the first innings, speared one into Bavuma (32) that he could not quite get his blade down to fast enough. That was the fillip England needed and the very next ball Vernon Philander followed his captain’s ill-advised example of earlier in the match by inexplicably shouldering arms to an all-too straight delivery. That he did not walk off immediately was a surprise such was his adjacentness in front of all three.

Elgar celebrated his well-earned century (Getty)

Elgar continued though and moments later reached his hundred, an eighth in Test cricket, and leapt in the air with the gusto of a man that failed to bely the physical toil he had been subjected to over the last day and a half. That he could raise the bat was perhaps his biggest achievement of all, such was the severity of the bruising to his already battered hand.

He continued, now joined by the always willing Chris Morris, and looked set to survive no further no losses before Moeen Ali ended the session with a flourish drifting a ball that the new bastman couldn’t resist, snicking to the diving Ben Stokes at slip for a speedy 24. Elgar remained but South Africa’s hopes of saving the game look gone with England now just three away.