Hosts South Africa stare at big defeat

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STUNNING: Pope takes the catch to dismiss Rassie van der Dussen.

Port Elizabeth - South Africa struggling on 102-6 in follow-on

By Reuters

Published: Sun 19 Jan 2020, 10:23 PM

Last updated: Mon 20 Jan 2020, 12:36 AM

Captain Joe Root led from the front as ruthless England took 10 wickets on Sunday to move to the brink of victory in the third test with South Africa reeling on 102-6 in their second innings.
Root claimed test-best figures of 4-31 and was ably assisted by Stuart Broad and Mark Wood as South Africa ended the fourth day still 188 runs adrift.
England need four more wickets to win their 500th overseas test and take a 2-1 lead in the four-match series, while the beleaguered home team will need to bat out the entire day, a task that looks near impossible given they have run out of recognised batsmen.
Vernon Philander (13) and Keshav Maharaj (5) resume on Monday.
England started the day with immediate success and kept up the stranglehold despite a lengthy delay for rain, emphasising the dominance they have enjoyed since day one.
"Our attitude has been good today, and we got our rewards," Wood said.
South Africa were in deep trouble when they resumed on 208-6 in their first innings, still 291 behind England's mammoth 499 for nine declared.
Any hopes of a defiant stand crumbled immediately as England, inspired by Broad, took four wickets for the addition of one run to end the innings inside the opening half hour. South Africa were made to follow-on and were 15-0 when the rain came but once the skies cleared, Wood quickly removed opener Dean Elgar (15) and the struggling Zubayr Hamza for two.

Scoreboard
England first innings, 499-9 declared
South Africa first innings (overnight 208-6)
D. Elgar c Pope b Bess 35
P. Malan c and b Bess 18
Z. Hamza c Pope b Bess 10
A. Nortje c Root b Stokes 18
F. du Plessis c Pope b Bess 8
H. van der Dussen b Bess 24
Q. de Kock b Curran 63
V. Philander b Broad 27
K. Maharaj b Broad 0
K. Rabada c Wood b Broad 1
D. Paterson not out 0
Extras (b4, w1) 5
Total (all out, 86.4 overs) 209
Fall of wickets: 1-50, 2-60, 3-63, 4-71, 5-109, 6-154, 7-208, 8-208, 9-208
Bowling: Broad 13.4-6-30-3, Curran 11-2-32-1, Bess 31-12-51-5, Wood 11-4-31-0 (1w), Denly 4-1-10-0, Root 11-4-25-0, Stokes 5-1-26-1
South Africa, second innings (following on)
P. Malan lbw b Root 12
D. Elgar b Wood 15
Z. Hamza c Buttler b Wood 2
F. du Plessis c Pope b Root 36
H. van der Dussen c Pope b Root 10
Q. de Kock c Wood b Root 3
V. Philander not out 13
K. Maharaj not out 5
Extras (b3, lb1, nb1, w1) 6
Total (6 wkts, 62 overs) 102
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-22, 3-44, 4-66, 5-74, 6-83
Bowling: Broad 6-3-5-0 (1nb), Curran 3-0-13-0, Wood 11-3-23-2 (1w), Bess 18-10-17-0, Stokes 5-2-9-0, Root 19-11-31-4
Match situation: South Africa trail by 188 runs with four wickets remaining
Toss: England
Umpires: Bruce Oxenford, Rod Tucker (both AUS)
TV umpire: Joel Wilson (WIS)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)