South Africa v England: Tourists pay the price for drops in intensity

There was an end-of-term feeling around. Exams have been sat and passed but there is still a week left and the teachers insist you turn up for classes. The natural instinct is to let your hair down, have a ball.

England achieved eight days ago what they came here to do – to win a Test series against the best side in the world in their own backyard. No matter the sanctity of the longest, best form of the game, it was always asking a bit much for them to sustain exam-level concentration and commitment in the dead-rubber match.

Accordingly, South Africa made 475 all out on a ground where they have been virtually impregnable, winning 15 of the 20 Tests here and losing two, one of those in dodgy circumstances when their captain took a bribe. England, on the other hand, bowled like drains at the start of proceedings and when they rectified that, at least partly, they spurned five clear catching chances.

Since three of the reprieved went on to make hundreds, it was costly. When the tourists batted, having fielded for 132 overs (110 more than they needed to do on the previous Saturday) it was a pound to a penny they would lose an early wicket. Alex Hales was the inevitable victim, scoring a cheery 15 before driving off the outside edge to point.

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But England finished the second day on 138 for 2, with captain and vice-captain showing that term time is still term time. Although the pitch is showing distinctly untrustworthy signs, Alastair Cook scored his first fifty of the series and almost inevitably Joe Root was at the other end. There is much work to do if South Africa are not to pull back to 2-1.

In dead final matches since 2000, the team who have already taken the series have won 33 and lost 12. This suggests that the dominant side will prevail more often but a victorious touring side is more likely to lose than a team winning at home. No doubt this is something to do with the mission having been accomplished and home still being thousands of miles away.

None of that should compromise the fact that, regardless of the collective triumph, there were several individuals in the England camp with points to prove, if not places to play for. Perhaps there were as many as six, including Hales, whose average for the series is 19.28, which seems too many considering the manner in which they outplayed South Africa when the game was still afoot.

One of the most intriguing cases is that of Jonny Bairstow. He has had a wonderful series with the bat, scoring his maiden Test hundred and coming to maturity.

But his primary role for England is that of wicketkeeper. He has made seven mistakes and was mainly if not solely culpable for three of the five chances that went begging in the first innings of this match. Bairstow has been described as a work in progress by England’s management, which might seem odd for a player doing a job at international level.

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It has become clear that his wicketkeeping needs help if he is to survive (it seems ironic that the man who he replaced late last year, Jos Buttler, was dropped because of his batting). Ray Jennings never played Test cricket because South Africa were banished during his peak years but Alan Knott, the superb England wicketkeeper-batsman, considered him the best gloveman of all.

Jennings believes that Bairstow is worth persevering with. Like others, he has noticed that Bairstow has the passion and is prepared to listen. But there are key elements in Bairstow’s game, like his speed of eye movement when allied to the hands, which need working on. Jennings thinks it could take him 18 months to become a smooth operator, comfortable diving to left and right.

Bairstow is so short of confidence that he hardly knows whether to dive or stay, to stick or twist. England and he have to remember that from an adept wicketkeeper good things flow for his team.

After two lapses on the first day to his right, he was largely at fault for Quinton de Kock surviving on 80 yesterday when edging to his left. Bairstow hardly moved, de Kock went on to make 129 not out from 128 balls of unfettered, jaunty stroke play, his maiden Test hundred.

Following Hales’ dismissal, Cook and Nick Compton put on 56. Both of them needed runs, Compton was lbw to a ball that kept diabolically low from Kagisa Rabada. It was grossly unlucky but the scorebook does not say that.

The concern is that the uneven bounce will only increase. Bad news for England with James Taylor needing runs to protect his berth at five. Of the bowlers, Jimmy Anderson, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali have had an indifferent tour.

It seems almost heretical to suggest this of Anderson, England’s leading international wicket taker, but his four wickets in the series do not indicate a bowler at the height of his powers. Perhaps a change of ball, from Kookaburra to Duke, and country, from South Africa to England will revive him in May.

Taylor has looked the part occasionally (not least at short leg) and deserves a run, but he will understand the value of a hundred this summer. Woakes has played two matches this series and after his solid, largely unrewarded efforts in Durban, has disappointed here.

These players know what they have to do, but whatever happens here the series victory has been significant and deserves rejoicing.