Dominant England finish the job to take series lead in South Africa

England secured victory in the third Test by an innings and 53 runs to take an unassailable 2-1 series lead into the fourth and final Test at the Wanderers.

The scale perfectly reflects England’s dominance over the past four-and-a-bit days. In putting on 499 for nine declared in their first innings, they utilised scoreboard pressure effectively: first skittling South Africa for 209 and then, on Monday, punching out their follow-on effort for just 237. This was South Africa’s fourth biggest defeat since readmission in 1991.

If there was one sour point - and that’s probably a stretch - they chased more leather than they’d have liked on a morning they came into needing just the final four wickets. This time on day four, that set came for just one run inside 20 minutes.

This time they ended up costing 135 as England took a few blows from Keshav Maharaj and Dane Paterson who at least took something out of this match, even if it was only a record 10th wicket stand for the Proteas against England.

There was an inevitability to the result, even if Mark Wood was worried about the weather forecast on Sunday night. As dismissive as Port Elizabeth locals are of the forecast, play began under grey skies. When the St George’s Park band were nowhere to be seen for the start, you did wonder if something was on the way.

But they did show up, starting their usual repertoire inside the second over of the day as the sun shone through. By that time, one of the four wickets needed had been taken.

Three balls in, to be exact. Vernon Philander’s forward press only served to inside-edge the ball onto his front pad and give Ollie Pope - synonymous with short leg throughout this Test – a sixth catch of the match. Stuart Broad the bowler to profit.

The second of the day was just as easily obtained. Kagiso Rabada was clearly in touch, striking a handsome drive over extra cover for six. But to the first delivery Wood sent down today, any kind of clarity was absent as a non-committal drive was spooned for a simple catch to Broad at mid on.

At the Duck Pond End, Root continued in search for that maiden five-wicket haul as both the morning’s bowling changes came at the other end. An impressive set of 18 overs yesterday had given him overnight figures of four for 31.

He came close in his first over of the day when an edge from Rabada pierced the hands of Dom Sibley at gully. And he might have been slightly peeved when Dom Bess replaced Wood after a three-over spell and needed just four deliveries to turn through Anrich Nortje’s defence to leave South Africa 138 for nine, trailing by 152.

But things ended in comical circumstances for Root as the 11th over of his spell was smashed taken for 28 runs thanks to three fours and two sixes from Keshav Maharaj, followed by four byes. It equalled the record for the most expensive over in Test history. Sheepishly, the skipper took his cap from the umpire and handed the new ball - taken on 80 overs - to its rightful owners after Bess had one more go.

That did not stop the carnage, though. Maharaj, who brought up on his second Test fifty, officially in 90 deliveries but with the last 28 taking just nine. Then, after Paterson played out a maiden to the returning Wood, the senior partner took over and struck 16 from Curran’s next over.

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That started, though, with a sliver of a chance in the deep as an attempted heave over the top of the off side went high and straight but not far. Bess tracked it well enough as he scampered back from mid off but could not get a hand to it. Maharaj, on 51 at the time, struck a six over midwicket and struck fours down the ground and around the corner to finish the over on 67.

Paterson was doing his best to upset England’s attack, too, swinging wildly at everything that did not threaten his person. When he connected, he found the ropes at cover. When he was slightly off, he’d skew an edge high and over the cordon. And on 233-9, he fainted an edge through to Jos Buttler off Curran.

The appeal was far from convincing and the edge only a certainty when replayed and line-up alongside UltraEdge. England, though, had burned both of their reviews on day four. But Curran ensured it would not be an error to rue. At mid on for the next over, bowled from Wood, the left-armer swooped on a punched drive out to him and clipped the stumps at the nonstriker’s end where Maharaj was running to for the single that would have taken the last wicket stand into three figures.

From England’s perspective, it was not quite the cleanest of kills. But the sight of the scoreboard flash up “ENGLAND WIN BY AN INNINGS AND 53 RUNS” in yellow and black before lunch on the final day will be all the satisfaction they need.

They go to Johannesburg not just ahead but comfortably the better of the two sides. More and more, South Africa's victory in the first Test looks a product of the visitor's sickliness rather than their slickness. As good as England have been, the hosts look in total disarray.