England beat South Africa by innings and 85 runs at Emirates Old Trafford to make September's third and final Test at Kia Oval a series decider; Ben Stokes cracks game open after tea on day three with two wickets before James Anderson and Ollie Robinson shred Proteas with second new ball
Sunday 28 August 2022 07:14, UK
Ben Stokes triggered a seven-wicket evening session as England rolled South Africa for 179 to clinch an innings-and-85-run win on day three of the second Test at Emirates Old Trafford and level the three-match series.
James Anderson (3-30), Stuart Broad (1-24) and Ollie Robinson (4-43) were irresistible in the morning as South Africa slipped from their overnight 23-0 to 54-3, before Rassie van Der Dussen (41 off 132) and Keegan Petersen (42 off 159) shared a gritty fourth-wicket stand of 87 from 261 balls.
Stokes (2-30) cracked the game open after tea, removing Van der Dussen - braving a finger injury sustained in South Africa's first innings 151 all out - and Petersen in the first and third overs of the session respectively during a herculean and economical 14-over bowling spell ahead of the second new ball, which England then used to wrap up the match in devastating style.
Anderson cleaned up Simon Harmer (16) from his second delivery with the fresh Dukes as South Africa went on to lose their final seven wickets for 38 runs and their last five for seven - Anderson's dismissal of Kagiso Rabada (2) taking him to a 100th Test match wicket against South Africa in what was his 100th Test match on home soil.
England stormed to an innings win, just over a week after suffering one at Lord's, with the hosts dominating throughout in Manchester, razing South Africa on day one, making 415-9 declared in their sole innings as Stokes hit his 12th Test hundred and Ben Foakes his second, and then dismissing the tourists in 85.1 overs in their second innings.
The teams will meet again at The Kia Oval from September 8 in a decider with England holding the momentum but South Africa still targeting a first series win over their opponents, home or away, since 2012.
The Proteas could do little to stem an inspired England bowling performance on Saturday morning.
Anderson bowled South Africa skipper Dean Elgar (11) off stump with a peach of a delivery; Robinson nicked off Elgar's opening partner Sarel Erwee (25) and Broad then had Aiden Markram (6) caught at slip - having bowled the same man off a marginal no-ball on nought.
Stokes opted to open the bowling with part-time off-spinner Joe Root but the seamers were soon into their work - Anderson castling Elgar in the fourth over with a gorgeous delivery that held its line, one ball after beating the left-hander's outside edge with one that nipped away.
Robinson snaffled Erwee from around the wicket - wicketkeeper Foakes collecting a tremendous low grab as he continued his fine Test match - while Zak Crawley was the catcher when Broad finally mopped up Markram.
Broad's no-ball that had reprieved Markram in his previous over was the second chalked-off wicket of the morning - Petersen successfully overturning a caught-behind dismissal off Anderson on six with DRS showing ball had missed bat by a considerable distance.
England went wicketless in the afternoon, due to Van der Dussen and Petersen's doggedness but also a non-review - Van der Dussen would have been out caught behind off Stokes in the penultimate over of the session had the hosts called for DRS, with UltraEdge showing a faint nick.
It mattered little with Van der Dussen edging Stokes through to Foakes moments into the evening session and Petersen then fencing a snorter of a ball from the England skipper through to Foakes.
Stokes' 14 overs on the reel - six before tea and eight after it - and some equally frugal bowing from Jack Leach kept the scoring rate down, meaning South Africa were still 92 runs in arrears when England took the new ball.
The tourists added just seven more runs to their total with Anderson accounting for Harmer and Rabada, and Robinson snaffling Keshav Maharaj (2) and Anrich Nortje (2) before castling Lungi Ngidi (0) to send the England fans at Emirates Old Trafford wild.
England captain and Player of the Match Ben Stokes: "It has been incredible. It was an amazing atmosphere to be a part of.
"To come back from last week's disappointment at Lord's and put in the performance we have this week, it gives us a lot of confidence back and sets things up nicely for the last game."
South Africa skipper Dean Elgar: "I guess that is why Test cricket is called a 'Test'. England were far better than us throughout the last three days, so congrats on the way they played.
"There's a lot of learnings to take out of this game. I'm sure we're going to go back to the drawing board. It sets up for a hell of a series."
Sky Sports Cricket's Shaun Pollock: "We have had two very one-sided encounters. Six innings and on four occasions a team has been bowled out for under 180 - and I wouldn't say the wickets have been dodgy.
"South Africa will be disappointed but England were superb, led by a wonderful performance from Stokes."
Watch day one of the third LV= Insurance Test between England and South Africa, from The Kia Oval, live on Sky Sports Cricket from Thursday, September 8. Build-up starts at 10am ahead of the first ball at 11am.
