South Africa v England

At Durban, December 4, 5, 7, 8. England won by an innings and 104 runs, a victory which ended a run of twelve Test Matches without success.

They were overwhelmingly superior on a pitch which took spin early in the match, due, in part, to the shortage of grass. This proved the only decisive game of the series and England were rather fortunate, not only to win the toss, but to find conditions so suitable to them.

The South African batsmen had little answer to the spin of Allen and Titmus who shared 13 wickets, and their own attack was not the right type for such a pitch.

Barber and Boycott gave England a good start with 120 and when Barrington, Parks and Smith checked a brief breakdown, England were already in sight of victory. Barrington and Parks put on 206, a record for England's sixth wicket against South Africa. Each hit a century.

South Africa lost Goddard, Barlow and P. Pollock for 20 on the second evening and were forced to follow-on 330 behind. Bland gave promise of what he eventually accomplished in later matches, but again the majority of the batsmen failed and the game ended just after lunch on the fourth afternoon with another day to go.