RESULT
3rd Test, Cape Town, January 03 - 07, 2010, England tour of South Africa
291 & 447/7d
(T:466) 273 & 296/9

Match drawn

Player Of The Match
30 & 183
graeme-smith
New
ENG 2nd Innings
Full commentary
end of over 141Maiden
ENG: 296/9CRR: 2.09 
Graham Onions0 (11b)
Graeme Swann10 (8b 2x4)
Morne Morkel 28-9-51-1
Dale Steyn 35-11-74-2

Andrew Miller is hammering his match report, and there is, as ever, the Facebook page. Another thriller, and I need a lie-down. Thanks for all the emails, that is it from me, Sahil Dutta, and from Andrew Miller. I hope you'll join us January 14 for the final Test of this magnificent series.

Smith looks exhausted, as well he might be, he has had a marathon match, barely left the field. He says it will take a while to work out how the dressing room feels here, and rues the missing 'knock-out blow' for South Africa. He thanks the fans for their support and says South Africa have 'a few questions to answer' at the Wanderers but is confident of levelling the series.

Strauss arrives for the presentation, greeted with plenty of cheers from the Barmy Army. He has a broad grin and says that Collingwood and Bell produced something 'special' to save his side here. He credits South Africa for fighting their way so close to the finish line and says that the game of cricket, not any ball tampering issues, will be in the headlines tomorrow. Quite right.

Plenty of credit must go to Paul Collingwood, who, when England needed another rearguard, arrived at the wicket armed with a sack of bricks and built an unbreachable wall that repelled everything South Africa threw at him for 276 minutes. Ian Bell played a huge innings under intense pressure. South Africa had to battle 22 yards of remorselessly flat, spirit-sapping earth, as they almost drew level in the series with fantastic bowling from Steyn.

Match drawn This, yet again, has been epic drama. South Africa look deflated, Smith rueful, but they stormed back into this match with one hour to go. The players shake hands, as well they might, they have provided a magnificent spectacle here. Wonderful Test match and today's duel between Steyn and Collingwood stirred memories of Atherton and Donald at Trent Bridge in 1998. These sides can barely be separated and it's made for a thrilling series.

140.6
Morkel to Onions, no run

England survive! It's outside off stump, left alone and Onions punches the air!

One ball and no nails left.

140.5
Morkel to Onions, no run

short it is, Onions gets it an awkward position and it flies near to his gloves through to Boucher. Big appeal, given not out, but Smith reviews... and it's not given. Past close to the gloves but there was clear daylight.

Smith comes up for a chat. Possibly advising Morkel to shove it short

140.4
Morkel to Onions, no run

another great ball, sterling stuff, yorker but Onions digs it out. Just two chances left

140.3
Morkel to Onions, no run

great change of length, fuller Onions digs it out. 3 more!

140.2
Morkel to Onions, no run

short, straight, Onions hops back, gets himself in line and drops it out on the off side

140.1
Morkel to Onions, no run

outside off stump, Onions flinches at it, but misses. 5 to go

Short gully, three slips, two gullies, short leg in place

end of over 1406 runs
ENG: 296/9CRR: 2.11 
Graeme Swann10 (8b 2x4)
Graham Onions0 (5b)
Dale Steyn 35-11-74-2
Morne Morkel 27-8-51-1
139.6
Steyn to Swann, no run

no, it is short, outside off and flies past Swann who sways inside it. Completes a fantastic day of bowling for Steyn.

Can Swann find one here to get the strike? Where? Surely not?

139.5
Steyn to Swann, no run

fired in short, angling in, and Swann crouches under it

139.4
4
Steyn to Swann, FOUR runs

great bowling in the circumstances, full and straight, Swann meets it with the fullest of faces and it runs away to the mid off boundary

139.3
2
Steyn to Swann, 2 runs

full, slightly leg sided, Swann jabs a bat down at it and he collects a pointless couple through mid on

139.2
Steyn to Swann, no run

great bowling, bang on the stumps, Swann blocks it away

Nervous, twitching England dressing room. Steyn has a problem, he appears to have pulled his hamstring. What else could happen here!? Smith is in discussions with his bowler, Kallis is warming up at second slip. Steyn won't have any of that though. Grabs a drinks and he's ready.

139.1
Steyn to Swann, no run

short, outside off, Swann sways away

Two overs left, Steyn here, and Morkel the last.

end of over 139Wicket maiden
ENG: 290/9CRR: 2.08 
Graham Onions0 (5b)
Graeme Swann4 (2b 1x4)
Morne Morkel 27-8-51-1
Paul Harris 40-14-85-3
138.6
Morkel to Onions, no run

great ball, speared in at Onions heading towards his head, its fended off and loops agonisingly short of the two gully fielders

138.5
Morkel to Onions, no run

speared full and down the leg side, good plan from Morkel, looking for the yoker, but it is another ball negotiated for Onions

138.4
Morkel to Onions, no run

rising delivery on off stump, probably no need to play, Onions rises with it and drops it into the off side

138.3
Morkel to Onions, no run

massive, massive appeal from a fuller ball that crashes into Onions' pads, but it is high and sliding down leg, not even Harper got that wrong

138.2
Morkel to Onions, no run

outside off stump, huge roar from the crowd as Morkel runs up, Onions shoulders arms

17 balls left to go, unbelievable cricket. Morkel has done the trick!

138.1
W
Morkel to Bell, OUT

Inspired move! Bell has gone! Oh dear, that is tragedy for Bell. It was outside off he could have left it alone, but had a fiddle at it and it goes through to Smith.

Ian Bell c Smith b Morkel 78 (213b 10x4 0x6 286m) SR: 36.61

Morkel replaces Steyn, big move, Morkel will have two overs here to win the game.

end of over 1384 runs • 1 wicket
ENG: 290/8CRR: 2.10 
Graeme Swann4 (2b 1x4)
Ian Bell78 (212b 10x4)
Paul Harris 40-14-85-3
Dale Steyn 34-11-68-2
137.6
Harris to Swann, no run

Swann is well forward defending with all the confidence in the world

137.5
4
Harris to Swann, FOUR runs

shorter, Swann stands up and thumps it through the off side for four

20 deliveries to go, and Graeme Swann strides out to the middle. He has done so much this series and he has a massive job to do here. Two slips, two silly points, a leg slip, a leg gully and a short leg in place.

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