South Africa tame England after 4th-day collapse

Nortje leads SA bowling attack with key wickets of Burns and Root

CENTURION, South Africa, Dec 29, (AP): South Africa won the first Test by 107 runs with a day and a bit to spare on Sunday as England fell away quickly after dreaming briefly of another miracle chase.

England were 121-1 overnight facing a target of 376, raising faint hopes of a Headingley repeat, when Ben Stokes led the English to one of Test cricket’s most memorable comefrom-behind wins in the Ashes series against Australia in August.

But South Africa struck twice in the first session of the fourth day at SuperSport Park, bided their time were put in quarantine at the ground at one point to try and stop the spread of the bug to the other players.

“It’s been a really tough week off the field,” Root said. “Pretty much everything has been thrown at the group. But credit to everyone, they stood up, tried to put in the best performance, and at no stage have they let anyone down.”

Burns inspired hope that England might get the 376. But Burns added just seven runs to his overnight score of 77 at SuperSport Park despite batting for nearly an hour on the fourth morning. Tied down by South Africa front-line quicks Rabada and Vernon Philander, he lashed out at a short ball from Nortje – Nortje’s second of the day – and lobbed a catch to Rabada at mid-on.

Stokes arrived with England needing 218 more runs – the same equation as when he strode in at Headingley – but the parallels disappeared when he chopped a delivery from spinner Keshav Maharaj onto his stumps to go for 14.

England’s hopes effectively ended with Root’s nick off Nortje to leave the tourists 232-6.

When James Anderson, playing his 150th Test, a record for a bowler, walked in as the last man, he shared a joke with long-time bowling partner Broad and they both smiled widely.

Their last-wicket stand lasted four balls but England appeared surprisingly positive in defeat.

“I think pretty much everyone has been ill now, so hopefully that’s out of the way,” Root said. “Hopefully that’s the end of it and we can bounce back strong.”

England’s batsman Jonny Bairstow, plays a side shot as South Africa’s wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock watches on during day four of the first cricket Test match between South Africa and England at Centurion Park, Pretoria,

South Africa, Dec 29. (AP)

South Africa’s bowler Anrich Nortje celebrates after dismissing England’s batsman Jofra Archer on day four of the first cricket Test match between South Africa and England at Centurion Park, Pretoria, South Africa, Dec 29. (AP)

South Africa’s bowler Vernon Philander bowls on day four of the first cricket Test match between South Africa and England at Centurion Park, Pretoria, South Africa on Dec 29. (AP)