RESULT
3rd Test, Gqeberha, January 16 - 20, 2020, ICC World Test Championship
499/9d
(f/o) 209 & 237

England won by an innings and 53 runs

Player Of The Match
135* & 6 catches
ollie-pope
New
SA 2nd Innings
Full commentary

That is a wrap for our live ball-by-ball coverage of this Test. Stick around for Miller's report and all the analysis and reaction from George and Firdose at the ground, but until then, thanks from Miller, Varun, Chandan and myself, and we'll look forward to seeing you at the Wanderers.

Ollie Pope is player of the match for his maiden ton and six catches. "It's an amazing feeling, but it wouldn't have counted for much if we didn't win the game. [Stokes] To bat with Stokesy is a privilege, he just keeps getting better and better. I was in a pretty good seat to watch another special innings from him. My dad spent a while in the sports bar, I think he enjoyed it with one of his mates... I saw a few pictures and I think he was a bit worse for wear. [Short leg] We've got Sri Lanka coming up, hopefully I can get a few more in there. I really enjoyed it in there this week, the way Rooty and Bessy bowled kept me in the game pretty much every ball. Maharaj and Paterson batted well, pretty frustrating at times, but it's a great mood in the changing room."

And here comes England captain Joe Root: "It's a great template for how we want to play our cricket moving forward, big first-innings score and drive the game forward from there. We knew that we had to take the Newlands effort forward into this week. We've had four guys under 25 making hundreds or taking five-fors and that's a great place to be. That's what it's about, it's not going to be the same guys every week. We've got a very good squad of players, there's a couple of very good players who aren't in this XI, and that's going to fill everyone with a huge amount of confidence. [Variety of pitches] We've adapted quickly so far. We learned our lesson very quickly from Centurion. It'll be very different in Joburg, different challenges for both batters and bowlers."

Here's Faf du Plessis at the presentation - any news on his future? "The toss, we knew that it was going to play a roll. We did a job there with the ball, controlled the run-rate really well. Our bowlers have kept a lid on their batting line-up through the series but England showed some application with Pope and Stokes. The two of them played very good innings and set the platform for the other guys to play freely. We batted poorly in our first innings, I don't think we played Bess very well - obviously he bowled well to get five wickets. [Retirement] I've heard the rumours. I've been pretty clear and consistent that the T20 World Cup is what I'm looking for. It's important for me as captain that we keep driving forward. Nothing has changed when it comes to that. From a performance point of view, yes, me and the team are feeling the pressure but we'll keep fighting." Interesting, completely plays it down. "[On Rabada's ban] It's a big frustration, disappointment. It's not the first time that we've lost him. Already a little bit light on experience in our Test unit, he'll be a huge loss, but those are the cards that we've been dealt."

11.59am Jumping back in for the post-match frolics. That's England's first innings win overseas since the Sydney Test of 2011! Some of the gloss has been taken off by that last-wicket partnership, but it's still a handsome win.

11:53am Well that was fun for a day that began with England needing just four wickets and having three of those inside the first hour. They win by an innings and 53 runs to go 2-1 ahead in the series. And it is thoroughly deserved, this lead. They've shown up in diverse conditions after being 0-1 down, and for the most part been miles ahead of the home side. It was Ollie Pope who set it up brilliantly with the bat, and was around contributing during the next two innings as well, taking six catches, which is the joint second-most for a non-keeper. His efforts aided Bess and Broad in the first innings, who shared eight wickets, and then Root and Wood who shared seven to have South Africa crumbling. As much as that final-wicket flourish would have given some life to the dressing room, it will not be a happy place any time soon. Lots of glaring issues to address. They have about three days to sort things out and try to draw this series.

88.5
W
Wood to Maharaj, OUT

that looks out! Has Curran got them on 99? Yes he has! A direct hit from mid-on. Attempted yorker is hit at mid-on off the toe-end. He decides to jump to his right after starting off for the run, presumably a natural reaction to where that throw is coming from. And that costs him a yard. Curran nails the stumps. Maharaj's highest score will remain 72

Keshav Maharaj run out (Curran) 71 (106b 10x4 3x6 148m) SR: 66.98
88.4
Wood to Maharaj, no run

full and wide outside off, 144kph, stumps exposed as he drives to find Broad at extra cover

88.3
Wood to Maharaj, no run

mean bouncer but he manages to evade. Short and at his right shoulder. Bat up in the air as he ducks

Venkat: "This partnership is the lesson that SA batting line up needed. Had they played normal positive cricket without blocking too much they wouldn't have allowed the likes of root to dominate them. I still can't fathom why they didn't think of striking off the lead batting normally. "

88.2
Wood to Maharaj, no run

short of a length sliding through outside off. Backs away and is beaten

88.1
Wood to Maharaj, no run

slower length ball at off stump. Clears the front leg for the slog, gets an inside edge onto pad

Right, this is getting silly now. But how silly? Have your say on the Live Report

end of over 8812 runs
SA: 237/9CRR: 2.69 
Dane Paterson39 (40b 6x4)
Keshav Maharaj71 (101b 10x4 3x6)
Sam Curran 6-0-46-0
Mark Wood 16-6-32-3

Troy: "Get Root back on, these two are too expensive!"

87.6
4
Sam Curran to Paterson, FOUR runs

sliced over gully. Short of a length outside off, slashes at it and gets it over that man. Easy peasy

Tony: "BOWL AT THE BLOODY STUMPS! "

87.5
Sam Curran to Paterson, no run

oh there's a sound on that. But only Buttler seems to have heard it on the ground. Short of a length, just outside off. Backs into the leg side and has a heave. Replays confirm the sound but it looks it came after the ball was past bat

87.4
Sam Curran to Paterson, no run

full and into the pads. Beaten on the flick, it trickles into the off side off the bat

This is SA's third-highest 10th-wicket partnership in Tests, and climbing fast

87.3
4
Sam Curran to Paterson, FOUR runs

short outside off, and a crafty little cut down to vacant third man. Leg side of it and carves it

87.2
4
Sam Curran to Paterson, FOUR runs

short of a length outside off, looks to slap it through the covers, thick outside edge through the second slip region

87.1
Sam Curran to Paterson, no run

short of a length and slanted into the corridor. Beaten on the cut

Curran around the wicket

end of over 875 runs
SA: 225/9CRR: 2.58 
Keshav Maharaj71 (101b 10x4 3x6)
Dane Paterson27 (34b 3x4)
Mark Wood 16-6-32-3
Sam Curran 5-0-34-0

Ghaz: "I know its not going to happen, but it would be awesome to at least make England bat again. Even if they only need 2 runs to win. A 10 wicket loss is better than an innings."

86.6
Wood to Maharaj, no run

short of a length, following him down leg. Defended into the off side

Mtha: "I don't understand why wood isn't attacking the stumps, "

86.5
Wood to Maharaj, no run

beaten and it's past leg stump. Follows him down leg side again, this time with a slower length ball. Through the slog too soon

86.4
Wood to Maharaj, no run

just short of short midwicket. Short and into the body as he backs into the leg side. The attempted pull comes off the sticker

86.3
4
Wood to Maharaj, FOUR runs

sliced to the extra cover boundary. Bit of AB de Villiers to this, not gonna lie. Short and rising in the corridor. Gets on his toes and is forced to swivel a touch as he's cramped. But he watches it on and lifts it deliberately over that region

Geetha: "This must be even more embarrassing for the SA top order."

86.2
Wood to Maharaj, no run

short and wide outside off, backs away and is beaten on the cut

86.1
1
Wood to Paterson, 1 run

slower ball at a length outside off, pushed into the covers off the under-edge

end of over 8616 runs
SA: 220/9CRR: 2.55 
Keshav Maharaj67 (96b 9x4 3x6)
Dane Paterson26 (33b 3x4)
Sam Curran 5-0-34-0
Mark Wood 15-6-27-3

Tiggsy: "Even as an England supporter it's nice to see a bit of fight from the Saffers. That's enough though now. Woody, knock 'em over now please..."

Todd: "Keshav "Ben Stokes" Maharaj on a roll here! "

David: "It's going to need Stokes again, isn't it?"

85.6
Sam Curran to Maharaj, no run

slower, short of a length and outside off. Beaten on the cut

85.5
4
Sam Curran to Maharaj, FOUR runs

another whip. Full ball on leg stump, drops the right shoulder and his head into the off side, one eye on this as he gets it well to fine leg's left

85.4
Sam Curran to Maharaj, no run

slower yorker at the stumps. Checks the slog and squeezes this into the off side

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ICC World Test Championship

TEAMMWLDPTRPWR
IND1712415201.577
ENG2111734421.12
NZ117404201.281
AUS148423321.392
PAK124532860.822
SA135802640.787
SL122642000.729
WI133821940.661
BAN7061200.601