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
So, England need 130 runs to win this Test match. Will they get that in the next 90 mins or so of play this evening?
Chances are they’ll ask their (out-of-form) top order to throw the bat at it, so could that provide some chances for South Africa? Alex Lees and Zak Crawley will be out at 5.21pm to start the innings.
WICKET! Kyle Verreynne c & b Anderson 12 (36). South Africa 169 all out (56.2).
And that’s that. Jimmy Anderson has a second WICKET as Verreyne top-edges a wild slash straight up in the air and Anderson himself gets under it for the caught & bowled.
South Africa all out for 169 and England need 130 runs to win this Test match and the series. There will be fireworks this evening you’d think!
South Africa 169/9 (56.0), Nortje 0, Verreyne 12 - SA lead by 129 runs
Anrich Nortje the final man in. Broad pumping up the crowd and asking for more noise! Nortje leaves a couple and plays a defensive stroke to see out the remainder of the over.
WICKET! Keshav Maharaj b Broad 18 (24). South Africa 169/9 (55.3).
Another breakthrough for England and it’s a WICKET for Stuart Broad. Outstanding delivery as he gets one to seam and it clips the top of the stumps - clean bowled! Great stuff and South Africa in more trouble
South Africa 168/8 (55.0), Maharaj 18, Verreyne 11 - SA lead by 128 runs
Anderson does indeed switch ends and concedes four off the over. A couple of early singles before two off the final ball from Maharaj.
South Africa 164/8 (54.0), Maharaj 15, Verreyne 10 - SA lead by 124 runs
Stuart Broad into the attack and you have to assume a switch of ends for Jimmy Anderson will be upcoming.
Great fielding in the deep from Alex Lees as Maharaj forces one down to fine leg as the England opener slides across to prevent the boundary. Three runs there and four off the over.
South Africa 160/8 (53.0), Maharaj 12, Verreyne 9 - SA lead by 120 runs
Stokes still steaming in, admirable from the England skipper. Forces a Maharaj inside edge from the opening ball of the over but when he drifts down the leg side he’s flicked for FOUR off the hips.
Another full-toss loosener is squirted away for two into the on-side. Stokes looking slightly laboured - maybe time for a change?
South Africa 154/8 (52.0), Maharaj 6, Verreyne 9 - SA lead by 114 runs
Solid from Anderson as he concedes just a single from the over. Can Maharaj and Verreyne produce some heroics to somehow salvage things for South Africa?
South Africa 153/8 (51.0), Maharaj 6, Verreyne 9 - SA lead by 113 runs
Wow, Ben Stokes continuing. He’s only got one knee remember, and I assumed Stuart Broad would be into the attack. Galvanised by that wicket perhaps.
Maharaj crunches a FOUR through extra cover when the England skipper strays too wide and takes a single later in the over
South Africa 148/8 (50.0), Maharaj 1, Verreyne 9 - SA lead by 108 runs
England won’t want to hang about now. Jimmy Anderson into the attack post-tea. Can he get a quick breakthrough? Verreyne slices a single and that means new man Keshav Maharaj is on strike.
APPEAL for lbw from the first delivery he faces but it’s slipping down leg side and the umpire shakes his head. A single follows and Verreyne see out the remainder of the over.
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