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England romp to Test match win over South Africa after skittling Proteas for 64

England trounce South Africa by 286 runs in one-off Test after razing home side for 64 on day three in Bloemfontein; Lauren Bell takes four second-innings wickets for eight in match and winning run out as tourists back up T20 and ODI success; Nonkululeko Mlaba's 10-wicket haul in vain

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Watch the highlights as England hammered South Africa by 286 runs in Bloemfontein to win the one-off Test inside three days

England romped to a 286-run win over South Africa on day three of the one-off Test in Bloemfontein as they skittled the Proteas for their all-time lowest score of 64.

The hosts were demolished in 19.4 overs chasing 351 at Mangaung Oval, slipping to 33-6 inside 14 as Lauren Bell (4-27) and Lauren Filer (1-12) caused havoc with the new ball before all-rounders Nadine de Klerk and Chloe Tryon fell for ducks.

The lack of DRS in this match was once again a talking point with Annerie Dercksen (9) given out caught at short leg by the third umpire despite the absence of UltraEdge technology to prove she had hit Bell's delivery to Tammy Beaumont.

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Annerie Dercksen was bizarrely given out caught at short leg by the third umpire despite no UltraEdge technology

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt (4) and opening partner Anneke Bosch (4) were out lbw to Bell and Filer respectively, while Dercksen's controversial exit was followed by Bell bowling Sune Luus through the gate for one with a peach that pinged off stump.

When De Klerk was run out via a combination of Danni Wyatt-Hodge and wicketkeeper Amy Jones and Tryon was pinned in front by premier England spinner Sophie Ecclestone (2-7 from 4.4 overs), it was a matter of when and not if the tourists clinched victory on the third evening.

Score summary - South Africa vs England, one-off Test

England 395-9 declared in first innings (92 overs): Nat Sciver-Brunt (128), Maia Bouchier (126); Nonkululeko Mlaba (4-90)

South Africa 281 all out in first innings (88.4 overs): Laura Wolvaardt (65), Marizanne Kapp (57); Lauren Bell (4-49), Ryana MacDonald-Gay (2-50)

England 236 all out in second innings (74.1 overs): Heather Knight (90), Nat Sciver-Brunt (37), Nonkululeko Mlaba (6-67), Tumi Sekhukhune (2-35)

South Africa 64 all out in second innings (19.4 overs): Lauren Bell (4-27), Sophie Ecclestone (2-7), Lauren Filer (1-12); Marizanne Kapp (21)

The winning moment came when Nonkululeko Mlaba (14) was run out by Bell at the non-striker's end after failing to ground her bat, with South Africa No 11 Ayanda Hlubi unable to take the field due to injury, handing England their first Test success in a decade - having gone winless since beating Australia in Perth in 2014.

Marizanne Kapp top-scored for South Africa with 21 before falling victim to an excellent catch from Beaumont at silly point, while Player of the Match Bell also removed Sinalo Jafta (0) leg before for her eighth wicket in the Test.

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An initial Proteas collapse of 7-44 mirrored their first-innings failure when they tumbled from 237-3 to 281 all out in reply to England's 395-9 declared to trail by a mammoth 114.

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South Africa were 12-2 on the stroke of tea after Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer dismissed Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch respectively lbw

Knight impresses in England second innings

Heather Knight's England add victory in the Test to their 3-0 sweep in the T20 series and 2-1 win in the ODI leg and will now head to Australia after Christmas for the Women's Ashes full of confidence.

England had earlier been dismissed for 236, with Knight (90) falling 10 runs short of what would have been a third Test hundred, after her 168 against Australia in Canberra in 2022 and 157 against the same opposition on home soil back in 2013.

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South Africa spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba took six wickets in the second innings for 10 in the match

Knight was one of six second-innings wickets for Mlaba as the left-arm spinner backed up her four strikes first time around and claimed the first 10-for by a South Africa woman in Tests.

It was just a shame for Mlaba that her heroics came in such a dispiriting defeat.

Mlaba sizzles but South Africa slump

Mlaba clinched her 10-for with a beautiful delivery that cleaned up Ryana MacDonald-Gay (4) through the gate, while she also accounted for Knight and Ecclestone (16) lbw on the sweep, bowled Nat Sciver-Brunt (37) and had Jones (24) and Charlie Dean (1) caught - Dean pouched brilliantly by Tumi Sekhukhune at midwicket.

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Nat Sciver-Brunt was dropped on 19 but then bowled by Mlaba for 37 as she chopped on to her stumps

Sciver-Brunt was dropped off Mlaba by wicketkeeper Jafta on 19 and went on to strike the spinner for three boundaries later in the same over and one more in her next before chopping on as she looked to cut a delivery that skidded through low.

Knight, who began day three 19 not out and with her team 31-1 in their second innings, notched her fifth Test fifty from 99 balls, and went on to share a stand of 67 with Sciver-Brunt after Beaumont (12) was trapped lbw by Sekhukhune (2-35).

Wyatt-Hodge sliced Sekhukhune to short third for 23, while Filer (3) was last out for England, spooning De Klerk to midwicket.

Lack of DRS costs South Africa

Filer then had an early say with the ball as she and Bell ripped through the top order and South Africa never recovered.

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South Africa ended up being left to rue the lack of DRS in the women's Test at Mangaung Oval

The Proteas were well beaten in the end and can look to that first-innings batting slump and loose bowling on the first day as big reasons, although will also point to being stuffed by the absence of DRS.

The Dercksen drama on Tuesday came after Beaumont was fortunate to avoid being dismissed lbw by Kapp from the second ball on day one and Wolvaardt was adjudged lbw to Ecclestone a day later despite feeling she had inside edged the delivery.

Cricket South Africa have prioritised the use of DRS in women's white-ball internationals due to the hefty costs involved.

Knight 'chuffed' with thumping win

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Heather Knight felt the batting on the first day was crucial to England's Test win

England captain Heather Knight:

"There are only three of us in the squad that were involved in that Test win [against Australia in 2014]. We've had a lot of hard-fought draws and a couple of losses, so this is really pleasing.

"We've put the graft in over the last few days. The pace at which Maia [Bouchier] and Nat [Sciver-Brunt] batted on the opening day allowed us to control the game... I'm super chuffed.

"The pitch was a brilliant Test wicket, it allowed batters to score runs, and the bowlers were able to take wickets."

England in South Africa - full schedule

T20 series (England won 3-0)

ODI series (England won 2-1)

One-off Test

  • Bloemfontein - England won by 286 runs