Johannesburg — England closed in on victory in the third Test after another horrendous batting performance by the Proteas at the Oval on Sunday.
IOL Sport’s cricket writer Stuart Hess looks at the action from the fourth day’s play and gives us the five plays of the day.
MARCO JANSEN — A first five wicket haul in Test cricket for the 22-year-old, which was richly-deserved in a match in which he underlined what an important player he will become for the Proteas. He finished with 5/35
CATCH — Another ripper by Keegan Petersen at slip, this time going to his left to get Ben Foakes and give Jansen his fifth wicket.
4 — Half-century partnerships for the Proteas in the series. Yes, batting has been difficult, but South Africa has made every pitch, session and hour look like a minefield. The players' mindsets are muddled and the decision not to review Dean Elgar’s dismissal on Sunday reflected that.
36.2 — The number of overs bowled in both first innings. South Africa scored 118 and England 158. It was, according to Cricket SA’s chief statistician, Andrew Samson, the eighth time the first two innings of a Test match have finished in exactly the same number of overs. It was the third time involving SA.
CHIRP — “He’d have had a few more if you’d walked.” — Mark Butcher sharing commentary duties with Mike Atherton as the pair discussed the number of dismissals for Mark Boucher. If you need reminding; Atherton famously didn’t walk during his epic battle with Allan Donald at Trent Bridge in 1998.
IOL Sport