Player of the Match
Player of the Match
  • BATSMEN
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    0.1 leg-side strangle, welcome back Jimmy! What a filthy way to resume your Test career! Anderson's first ball in Test cricket for five months, a leg-side lollipop half-tracker, no lateral movement whatsover, but Elgar walks inside the line, tries to flick it through backward square, and merely feathers an edge through to the keeper! 0/1
    9.4 this one's carried alright! And what a soft way to go! Another leg-side strangle, albeit this one is a chip to midwicket rather than a feather to the keeper... back of a length, straightening a touch, and just never quite arriving as Markram shaped for a flick through the leg side, and ended up lobbing a low waft to the stooping Bairstow 32/2
    21.6 gone, steered to second slip! Broad hits back immediately, out comes the fist-pump celebration, that'll make him feel better after a week of worshiping the porcelain god! Not enough foot movement this time from Hamza, fishing at a ball he could have left on length, and a thick edge looped low into the bucket hands of Stokes 71/3
    36.3 outside off, takes the edge, Broad's in business! That dismissal was set up by the previous ball, just a fraction wider, Faf moved across to cover the line, and paid the price as the ball kissed through to Root once more. All of a sudden, England are swarming 111/5
    33.2 Golden Arm is back! Perfect areas from the left-armer, pushing the ball across the right-hander, threatening both sides of his bat with the suspicion of inswing, then kissing the edge as it holds its line towards first slip. Root gobbles the catch, and once again, England have prised an opening from not a lot 97/4
    71.5 gottim! Curran gets a nibble, de Kock won't be getting his cheese! Perfect length and just enough movement with the old ball, drew him out and feathered an edge through to the keeper. Top knock from de Kock, but Big Sam tolls with his fourth wicket of the day 245/7
    54.5 that's cleverer from Curran! A carbon-copy of the van der Dussen dismissal, opened up by the inswinger, then left dangling outside off by the one that bursts straight across the bows. Another very comfortable take from Root, and once again, SA falter when seemingly well set 198/6
    84.3 nibbler in the corridor, finds the edge! That'll be that, then - although Philander belatedly decides to review, probably because they had one left, as much as anything. Clear spike on snickometer and that'll do for England and Broad, who matches Curran by finishing with identical figures of 4-58 284/10
    74.5 finds his line, finds the edge, and Archer finds something from the day! Scooped up low by Stokes and Maharaj will hang around, but the soft signal from the umpires is out. Stuck on the crease and fenced towards second slip, where Stokes grabs it just above the turf. No celebration from Archer, but reward after a wayward outing 252/8
    12
    24
    34
    3
    0
    50.00
    82.4 oh, bowled' im! Broad sneaks one through the left-hander's forward defensive to pulverise the off bail. That'll pep England up on their way into the changing rooms. Third wicket of a hard old slog for Broad 277/9
    not out
    0
    6
    8
    0
    0
    0.00
    Extras
    9 (lb 4, nb 2, w 3)
    TOTAL
    284 all out (84.3 Overs, RR: 3.36, 388 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Dean Elgar, 0.1 ov), 2-32 (Aiden Markram, 9.4 ov), 3-71 (Zubayr Hamza, 21.6 ov), 4-97 (Rassie van der Dussen, 33.2 ov), 5-111 (Faf du Plessis, 36.3 ov), 6-198 (Dwaine Pretorius, 54.5 ov), 7-245 (Quinton de Kock, 71.5 ov), 8-252 (Keshav Maharaj, 74.5 ov), 9-277 (Kagiso Rabada, 82.4 ov), 10-284 (Vernon Philander, 84.3 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    JM Anderson2046913.4500
    SCJ Broad18.345843.1311
    SM Curran2055842.9020
    JC Archer1946513.4201
    JE Root402606.5000
    JL Denly30401.3300
  • BATSMEN
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    3.1 and Philander strikes! Peach of a ball on off stump, clips the bottom glove on its way through - and this time Burns doesn't wait for the umpire! That's Big Vern in his element, just a little somethin' somethin' from the surface and his wrist does the rest. That was almost Pythagorean in its mathematical precision 11/1
    4.6 snorter, rips him out fending off the back foot! Not given by Paul Reiffel and du Plessis immediately signals for a review... but then Sibley walks! There's a moment of confusion as Denly seemingly suggests he wait for the DRS, but Reiffel then tells him to hop it, since he'd basically admitted he had hit it. And sure enough, snicko quickly reveals a faint tickle from the shoulder of the bat as Sibley mooches back to the dressing room 15/2
    37.5 Huge appeal for an inside-edge to the keeper! This is confident from South Africa, and they've reviewed. And sure enough there's a spike on Snicko! Denly has to go! Good line once more from Pretorius, he's found something in the deck on that good length outside off, and England's key stand has been broken 142/4
    23.1 comes down again, attempted fiddle to third man... tickled to the keeper! SA are jubilant, Root punches his bat, he knows he got a scratch on it! Trying to be proactive, but walking down the pitch means fractionally less time to get everything in sync. Big Vern with the big wicket, yet again 70/3
    40.3 switches to round the wicket, finds the edge as Stokes drives hard-handedly, away from his body, and Nortje bags the priceless scalp of Stokes! Wow, this match has flicked on a dime... England's wobbly middle order is very wobbly indeed! Discipline and perseverence from the wounded Buffaloes! 150/6
    38.5 ... and straight through the gate it goes! Deary me ... Bairstow was caught flat-footed on the crease, wafting flaccidly as the ball maybe kept a touch low too. But his set-up had been inviting trouble all over ... and now it's all over! 143/5
    51.1 brilliance from de Kock! Sharp bounce and a flying outside edge, swallowed with both hands by a vertical Quinton, who lands in front of first slip with a big smile on his face! There'll be no counterattack from Buttler as Philander saws off another England batsman. This is getting grisly 176/8
    48.5 shortish and worked off the body - brilliantly snaffled at short leg! Curran connected well and sent it downwards, but Hamza was perfectly placed, stayed low and grabbed the ball is it dipped to his left! Rabada hasn't bowled all that well, but he has another 176/7
    53.2 filleted! Philander hits the top of off stump and England have been shot out again! Archer playing the wrong line, though better batsmen have done the same. Superb, miserly figures of 4 for 16 from 14.2 overs for Big Vern, who's certain to leave SA wanting more. England have probably had their fill 181/10
    52.4 throat ball, jabbed straight to gully! Doesn't even need the two-card trick today, short and nasty and Broad can only divert it tamely to the waiting Elgar, who'll be out there batting again very shortly 181/9
    not out
    0
    2
    4
    0
    0
    0.00
    Extras
    16 (b 4, lb 5, nb 2, w 5)
    TOTAL
    181 all out (53.2 Overs, RR: 3.39, 259 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Rory Burns, 3.1 ov), 2-15 (Dom Sibley, 4.6 ov), 3-70 (Joe Root, 23.1 ov), 4-142 (Joe Denly, 37.5 ov), 5-143 (Jonny Bairstow, 38.5 ov), 6-150 (Ben Stokes, 40.3 ov), 7-176 (Sam Curran, 48.5 ov), 8-176 (Jos Buttler, 51.1 ov), 9-181 (Stuart Broad, 52.4 ov), 10-181 (Jofra Archer, 53.2 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    K Rabada1516834.5302
    VD Philander14.281641.1100
    D Pretorius822312.8700
    A Nortje1224723.9110
    KA Maharaj411804.5000
  • BATSMEN
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    0.5 full and straight, struck on the pads - given! That looked pretty much stone dead, but Markram reviews after a brief chat with his partner. Yep, this is only going one way. Skidded into his front leg at shin height, and Hawk-Eye has it demolishing leg stump! So Anderson strikes in his first over once again 2/1
    8.2 nip off the seam, inside edge, and a soaring take from Buttler down the leg side! Hello, we've got a game here! Extra oomph in that delivery from Archer, Elgar was committed by the angle back into the stumps, and had no answer as it took off. Buttler made good ground to his right to cling on in both mitts 29/3
    7.4 sliding leg side, Hamza flicks at it... another strangle down leg! Reiffel gave it and Hamza didn't linger for long, must have felt a tickle as he attempted to glance off his pads. A gift for England, but they need all the help they can get 25/2
    14.4 banged in short, and that's the big one! Du Plessis's intent gets the better of him, or rather Archer does, as that was sharp, that was straight, and Curran at backward square was right in position to snaffle a curious pull. Faf was almost down on one knee by the time he made contact. His commitment to aggression gave him no option to bail out 62/4
    38.1 Full and straight, big shout, and given! Rassie reviews after a brief consultation with Nortje. Might be sliding down, but I expect it will be clipped at the least. No pad, thudding into the knee-roll. Yep, clipping leg stump fairly high up, Archer has a third and England have finally broken van der Dussen's resolve! 153/5
    40.1 shortish, fended away, and well taken by Crawley at short leg Not as short as Nortje had anticipated, in at the hip, and he makes a bit of a mess of his foot movement while looking to nudge it square of the wicket. Relatively easy chances as short-leg catches go, but well held, and Nortje's resistance comes to an end 170/6
    51.3 is that a tickle through to the keeper? Yes, de Kock is walking! Not even an appeal from Stokes, which tells you either that he is blitzed or it's all too little too late (possibly both), but Bairstow went straight up for it. Just a scrape, according to Snicko, but QDK decides not to inconvenience the third umpire 220/8
    41.2 edged, and gone! It was as simple as that, really: length ball, outside off, Pretorius looks to drive through the covers without making much effort to move his feet and a thick edge flies into Sibley's hands at slip 177/7
    61.4 short ball outside off, Philander tries to upper-cut down to third man but gets a feather on it, and a leaping Bairstow takes the catch! Sharp take behind the stumps, and a clear nick high on the bat, so Philander falls just short of fifty. 272/10
    58.4 short ball, Maharaj has a mow at it, doesn't get all of it and holes out to Sam Curran at long leg! A fairly ugly heave in all truth, and the No. 10 was beaten for pace, top-edging out to the man on the fence. A slightly bizarre five-for for Archer! 250/9
    not out
    16
    12
    14
    2
    1
    133.33
    Extras
    19 (b 5, lb 3, nb 2, w 9)
    TOTAL
    272 all out (61.4 Overs, RR: 4.41, 310 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Aiden Markram, 0.5 ov), 2-25 (Zubayr Hamza, 7.4 ov), 3-29 (Dean Elgar, 8.2 ov), 4-62 (Faf du Plessis, 14.4 ov), 5-153 (Rassie van der Dussen, 38.1 ov), 6-170 (Anrich Nortje, 40.1 ov), 7-177 (Dwaine Pretorius, 41.2 ov), 8-220 (Quinton de Kock, 51.3 ov), 9-250 (Keshav Maharaj, 58.4 ov), 10-272 (Vernon Philander, 61.4 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    JM Anderson1314713.6100
    SCJ Broad1124213.8120
    JC Archer17110256.0021
    SM Curran12.435114.0210
    BA Stokes812222.7501
  • BATSMEN
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    51.2 short ball outside off, Burns looks to free his arms, top-edges it straight up and spoons it into the grateful hands of Rabada at mid-on! 89mph/143kph, not a particularly threatening line but Burns decided he needed to score off it, and he offers a simple catch. Big early breakthrough for South Africa 139/2
    27.6 length ball, and plops back the simplest of return catches! Sibley is rightly furious with that dismissal, he rocked back to a fairly gentle offbreak on a length, looking to work it out towards mid-on, and only managed to chip it straight back to Maharaj. He swipes at the thin air in front of him with his bat in frustration, and trudges off after a useful effort 92/1
    56.3 pitched up, scudding into the front pad - up goes the finger! It was a touch leg side, and Denly reviews on the strength of his captain's advice; only has to be clipping, remember. Shiver me timbers, it is! Pretty decent chunk of leg stump and Gaffaney will raise his finger again. Gutsy stuff from Denly, but the drip-drip of pressure finally told 158/3
    87.2 draws the edge, Root's a goner! Extra pace, tempted him outside off and there was an audible nick behind! Nortje is heading towards the full Allan Donald as he runs off, fists clenched and eyes wide. Is that the game for SA? 232/6
    14
    55
    72
    2
    0
    25.45
    72.3 bowled 'im! Maharaj gets the breakthrough! Slightly full of a length, and enough width for Stokes to trust his cut shot. He gets a little bottom-edge on it, it skews into the edge of off stump, and Maharaj runs off Imran Tahir-style in jubilant celebration. Massive moment! 204/4
    80.2 length ball, wide of the off stump, Bairstow tries to launch into it, gets a thick edge and is caught by gully! They'll check the front foot, but it looks like he's fine, and Bairstow's head drops as he trudges off. Hint of late swing away, but that's a nothing shot, chasing a wide one needing to bat time. Sharp catch in the gully by Hamza, and Rabada gets a huge breakthrough for South Africa! 222/5
    92.2 swings it high into the leg side, well held in the deep by Pretorius! Buttler's battle is over, a filthy mow across the line resulting in a steepling top edge towards deep midwicket 262/9
    90.4 perfect line, Curran feels for it, feathers an edge! Rabada's the man, finds a good one at 140kph and Curran had to play! De Kock swallows his eighth catch of the match and South Africa creep closer to victory 251/7
    91.4 no, it's a lifter in the channel, and Archer steers it to slip! Good areas to a No. 9 and van der Dussen holds on to his first catch in Tests. Nortje has another, and the levee is about to break 256/8
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    100.00
    92.6 bowled 'im, neck and crop! Broad exposes this stumps and Rabada obliges by putting England out of their misery. The Gazelle of Doom tolls the bell, securing a 107-run victory for South Africa after a sweaty old tussle at SuperSport Park 268/10
    not out
    0
    0
    4
    0
    0
    -
    Extras
    12 (b 8, lb 3, w 1)
    TOTAL
    268 all out (93 Overs, RR: 2.88, 417 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-92 (Dom Sibley, 27.6 ov), 2-139 (Rory Burns, 51.2 ov), 3-158 (Joe Denly, 56.3 ov), 4-204 (Ben Stokes, 72.3 ov), 5-222 (Jonny Bairstow, 80.2 ov), 6-232 (Joe Root, 87.2 ov), 7-251 (Sam Curran, 90.4 ov), 8-256 (Jofra Archer, 91.4 ov), 9-262 (Jos Buttler, 92.2 ov), 10-268 (Stuart Broad, 92.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    K Rabada24310344.2900
    VD Philander2083501.7500
    A Nortje1745633.2910
    D Pretorius1662611.6200
    KA Maharaj1633722.3100

Match Details

Toss

England , elected to field first

Player Of The Match

Series result

South Africa led the 4-match series 1-0

Match number

Season

Hours of play (local time)

10:00 start, Lunch 12.00-12.40, Tea 14.40-15.00, Close 17.00

Match days

26,27,28,29 December 2019 (5-day match)

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Points

South Africa 30, England 0

Close of Play

  • Thu, 26 Dec - day 1 - South Africa 1st innings 277/9 (VD Philander 28*, 82.4 ov)
  • Fri, 27 Dec - day 2 - South Africa 2nd innings 72/4 (HE van der Dussen 17*, A Nortje 4*, 20 ov)
  • Sat, 28 Dec - day 3 - England 2nd innings 121/1 (RJ Burns 77*, JL Denly 10*, 41 ov)
  • Sun, 29 Dec - day 4 - England 2nd innings 268 (93 ov) - end of match

Match Notes

England 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st92RJ BurnsDP Sibley
2nd47JL DenlyRJ Burns
3rd19JL DenlyJE Root
4th46JE RootBA Stokes
5th18JM BairstowJE Root
6th10JE RootJC Buttler
7th19JC ButtlerSM Curran
8th5JC ButtlerJC Archer
9th6SCJ BroadJC Buttler
10th6JM AndersonSCJ Broad

ICC World Test Championship

TeamMWLDPTSWRpWr
AUS1484233221.392
IND17124152051.577
ENG21117344241.120
NZ1174042031.281
PAK1245328630.822
SL1226420010.729
WI1338219410.661
SA1358026420.787
BAN70612000.601