Proteas battling to save Oval Test
England are six wickets away from winning the third Test against South Africa at the Oval after the visitors were left reeling on 117/4 at stumps on Day four, chasing a mammoth target of 492.
The Proteas got off to a disastrous start in their second innings as they lost Heino Kuhn (11), Hashim Amla (5), Quinton de Kock (5) and Faf du Plessis (0) in the final session after the hosts declared on 313/8.
Ben Stokes bowled a superb spell of 2/29 in eight overs while Stuart Broad and Toby Roland-Jones got a wicket apiece as England look to go two-one up in the series going into the fourth and final Test in Manchester.
Opener Dean Elgar (72 not out) and Temba Bavuma (16 not out) will look to pick up the baton for the Proteas as they face an uphill task of blocking out the entire fifth day to force a draw.
Earlier, captain Joe Root, debutant Tom Westley and wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow struck half-centuries as the home team upped the pace to set up the declaration on the stroke of the tea interval.
Root hit an even 50 while Westley got his first fifty in Test cricket, striking 59, before he was stumped off the bowling of left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.
Bairstow upped the rate in the second session, hitting a brisk 63 off 58 balls as the home team looked for a declaration to allow then enough time to bowl their opposition out.
Maharaj did a decent job for the Proteas with the ball, taking 3/50 off 13.5 overs while Chris Morris took two wickets but was expensive as he conceded 70 from his 11 overs.
Latest
-
News
On this day in 2018: Australian trio banned after ball-tampering saga
The trio were handed their punishments on March 28, 2018.
-
County Cricket
Surrey stars eager to help Alec Stewart sign off with more silverware
Stewart has guided Surrey to three County Championship wins during his decade in charge.
-
Women's Cricket
Maia Bouchier smashes 91 as England Women seal T20 series victory
England made 177 for three and then restricted New Zealand to 130 for seven.
-
County Cricket
Yorkshire boosted by Harry Brook and Joe Root’s early-season availability
Both players are not at the Indian Premier League.
-
England
Ollie Pope ‘itching’ to get back scoring runs after ‘frustrating’ tour of India
The England vice-captain hit a superb 196 in Hyderabad, but averaged only 14.75 in the next four Tests of the India series.
-
Women's Cricket
Ellyse Perry says Ashes Test at MCG ‘amazing’ but unsure about four-day return
Australia will host England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Women’s Ashes early next year.
-
County Cricket
Harry Brook set to return for start of Yorkshire’s County Championship campaign
Brook withdrew from England’s Test tour of India in January due to personal reasons.
-
England
England spinner Tom Hartley expects his exploits in India to be ‘life changing’
Hartley’s second-innings haul of seven for 62 in Hyderabad delivered one England’s greatest ever overseas victories.
-
Women's Cricket
Heather Knight urges more composure from England after New Zealand collapse
The tourists needed just 29 from 29 balls with eight wickets in hand.
-
Australia
On this day in 2018: Australia ‘sandpapergate’ ball-tampering controversy erupts
The incident led to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft being banned from playing for Australia.