Moeen to the fore for England

Moeen Ali is confident he has helped put England in a winning position after ‘riding the wave’ in his instinctive counter-attacking half-century at Old Trafford.

Moeen’s response to a spot of adversity at 153 for seven in England’s second innings was to play to his strengths as a natural strokemaker, especially after being dropped at slip on 15 by Dean Elgar off Keshav Maharaj.

He went on to hit eight fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 67 from 59 balls as England reached 224 for eight, and a lead of 360, on a rain-shortened third day of the fourth Investec Test.

The all-rounder passed 50 with his second six, hoisted over long-on into the pavilion.

Moeen agrees South Africa appear up against it to avoid defeat, or even pull off a victory which would earn a share of the series, on a pitch of increasingly variable bounce.

“Definitely ... we’ve put pressure on them, and it’s turned our way,” he said. South Africa first innings M Morkel not out ................. 20 D Olivier c Bairstow b Broad .. 4 Extras b3 nb1 pens 0 ............. 4 Total (72.1 overs) ................ 226 Bowling: Anderson 4/38, Broad 3/46, Roland-Jones 1/41, MM Ali 2/57, Stokes 0/34, Malan 0/7 England second innings close AN Cook c de Bruyn

b M Morkel ............................ 10 KK Jennings c Amla

b Rabada ............................... 18 T Westley c Sub

b M Morkel ............................. 9 JE Root b Olivier .................. 49 DJ Malan c de Bruyn

b Maharaj ............................... 6 BA Stokes c du Plessis b Olivier .................................. 23 JM Bairstow c Rabada

b Olivier ................................. 10 MM Ali not out ...................... 67 TS Roland-Jones c Maharaj

b Rabada ................................ 11 SCJ Broad not out ................. 0 Extras b9 lb9 w2 nb1 pen 0 .. 21 Total 8 wkts (66.2 overs) .. 224 Bowling: M Morkel 2/39, Rabada 2/37, Maharaj 1/92, Olivier 3/38

Picture: PA. In form: Moeen Ali hitting out at Old Trafford.