ENGLAND BEAT SOUTH AFRICA INSIDE FOUR DAYS AS ROOT’S CAPTAINCY GETS OFF TO GREAT START

much of the damage on a decidedly helpful surface, as Moeen (six for 53) finished with a 10-wicket match haul and Liam Dawson did his bit too.

It was Root himself, however, who laid the foundations for success on captaincy debut with his first-innings 190 - 103 more than any other batsman managed for either side - as England put behind them the four consecutive defeats in India last winter which ended Alastair Cook’s record-breaking era in charge.

Bairstow, dropped on just seven by Vernon Philander at long-off, stood firm with a 74-ball 50 while England lost four wickets for 10 runs and then three for two in a total of 233 all out which nonetheless left the tourists with a taxing target of 331.

South Africa opener Heino Kuhn completed his unsuccessful maiden Test with a second single-figure score, caught by Bairstow off James Anderson; then Moeen held a head-high return catch to account for Dean Elgar, and JP Duminy mistimed a pull to give Mark Wood his first Test wicket on his long-awaited return from ankle surgery.

That was from the last delivery before tea, and South Africa’s slide continued apace almost immediately afterwards when Dawson turned one up the slope in his first over to pin Hashim Amla lbw.

Moeen had luck on his side when Quinton de Kock contrived to pull a short one straight down on to his front boot and back on to the base of his stumps, but the off-spinner needed no such quirks to hit the top of off in his next over as Temba Bavuma tried to heave him to leg as well.

There was only the tail left from 67 for six, and no stopping Moeen.

Morne Morkel (three for 64) had hinted at a lasting fightback when he started England’s collapse by striking twice in successive overs to see off Cook and Gary Ballance - and then Keshav Maharaj (four for 85) got Root cheaply.

But Bairstow (51) made sure England stayed ahead of the game, notably in a ninth-wicket stand of 45 with Wood.

Cook had laboured long and