SA pacers Philander, Morris cut England to size for big win
NOTTINGHAM TEST Proteas crush hosts by 340 runs on Day Four of second Test; level series 11
NOTTINGHAM: South Africa hamme red England by 340 runs to win the second Test at Trent Bridge on Monday and level the fourmatch series at 1-1.
England, set a mammoth 474 runs for victory, collapsed to 133 all out in their second innings 40 minutes before tea on the fourth day.
No England batsman made a fifty in an innings where former captain Alastair Cook’s 42 was the top score.
England, who resumed on one without loss, lost four wickets before lunch and a further six before tea.
Man-of-the-match Vernon Philander led South Africa’s attack on Monday with three wickets for 24 runs in 10 overs, while left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took three for 42 in 12.
Duanne Olivier ended the match by taking two wickets in two balls to dismiss tailenders Mark Wood and James Anderson.
Returning South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, who did not play in the Proteas ’211-run defeat in the first Test at Lord’s following the birth of his first child, made the bold decision to bat first after winning the toss and was rewarded by a total of 335 featuring several fifties including Hashim Amla’s 78.
England could only manage 205 in reply, with Joe Root making 78 in his second Test as captain.
Amla (87),Dean Elgar (80) and du P less is (63) pile don the runs in South Africa’ s second innings 343 for nine declared.
It meant England needed to surpass the West Indies’ record fourth innings score to win a Test of 418 for seven against Australia at St John’s in 2003 if they were to achieve an improbable victory.
But they never looked like getting close as South Africa won a Test at Trent Bridge for the first time since 1965 despite being without suspended fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, banned from this match forswearing at Ben Stokes at Lord’s.
The series continues at The Oval on July 27.
EARLY SETBACKS
Vernon Philander and Chris Morris took two wickets a piece as South Africa reduced England to 79 for four at lunch on the fourth day, with all their top four batsmen dismissed in Monday’s morning session.
Philander removed left-handers Keaton Jennings (three) and Gary Ballance (four) during a burst of two wickets for eight runs in 19 balls.
Recalled all-rounder Morris followed up with two for two in 20 balls to dismiss England captain Joe Root (eight) and former skipper Alastair Cook (42). Jonny Bairstow was 12 not out and Ben Stokes five not out at lunch.
Cook’s near two-hour innings ended when he was beaten for pace by a well-directed Morris bouncer. Brief scores: South Africa 1st Innings 335 & 343/9; England 1st Innings 205 & 133( A Cook 42, V Philander 3/24, K Maharaj 3/42, C Morris 2/7)
ALLROUNDER MORRIS FOLLOWED UP WITH TWO FOR TWO IN 20 BALLS TO DISMISS JOE ROOT AND FORMER SKIPPER ALASTAIR COOK (42).