England v South Africa 1913-14

Played at Johannesburg, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Monday, January 1, 2, 3, 5.- Showing a vast improvement upon their previous form, the south Africans made a creditable fight, the Englishmen having to work very hard to win by 91 runs. The match decided the rubber. At one point South Africa had a chance of winning. They were left to get 396 in the last innings- a tremendous task- but so finely did Taylor and Zulch bat that at the close of Saturday's play the score had reached 124 without loss. However, the two batsmen were separated on Monday at 153. Some failures followed and, with only four wickets to fall, 223 runs were still required. Newberry and Ward added 44 in forty minutes and then, with some luck to help them, Ward and Blanckenberg added 78. After Ward left the end soon came. The English batting was not altogether convincing, but Hobbs, in both innings, and Mead and Douglas, in the second, played very finely. Hobbs hit up his 92 in a little over two hours. J.W. Hearne, who had been suffering from influenza, returned to the team after more than a month's absence, and bowled admirably in South Africa's first innings.