Ali all-round show powers England to 3-1 series victory
MANCHESTER: Moeen Ali led with bat and ball to take England to a 177-run victory over South Africa in the fourth Test on Monday, wrapping up a home series win over the Proteas for the first time in nearly 20 years.
Ali took 5-69 as South Africa was all out for 202 in its second innings soon after tea on the fourth day, well short of its target of 380 at Old Trafford.
England began its time under new captain Joe Root with a longawaited home series win over South Africa, which had defied England in England since 1998.
It was England’s second successive series win over South Africa after winning in South Africa 18 months ago, but broke a near two-decade drought on English soil.
TAKING THE GAME
Ali’s five-for, which came quickly on the fourth day, followed up his 75 not out in England’s second-innings total of 243 which took the game away from South Africa on Day 3.
Before Ali’s flamboyant and attacking 75 off just 66 balls, England was in some trouble at 129-5 and then 153-7.
However, England in its first series under Root was ultimately convincing in three of the four tests, with its only wobble coming in a heavy defeat in the second match at Trent Bridge.
Having won by 211 runs in the opener at Lord’s, England responded to the defeat in Nottingham - and questions over Root’s young leadership - with dominant victories at The Oval and Old Trafford. The end came quickly after Hashim Amla (83) and Faf du Plessis (61) held up England for nearly the whole second session in a 123-run partnership. Their stand made the ground-record target of 380 seem possible, if still hugely difficult.