Watch highlights from Zak Crawley’s half-century

Watch highlights from Zak Crawley’s half-century England are closing in on a series win over South Africa after a classy half-century from Zak Crawley left them needing just 33 more runs to win the third Test. Set on 130 to clinch a 2-1 series triumph at the Kia Oval, under-pressure openers Crawley (57no) and Alex Lees (32no) shared an unbroken stand as England reached 97-0 at stumps. After reducing the openers’ lead to 40, a superb bowling effort by England saw South Africa post 169 with Stuart Broad (3-45) surpassing Glenn McGrath in Test cricket’s all-time list and Ollie Robinson (2 – 40) claiming his 50th in the senior format. Captain Ben Stokes (3-39) and James Anderson (2-27) also played key roles with the ball before Crawley and Lees started to chip away at the runs. In just 17 overs, they came within touching distance of their target before bad light brought the game close to the frustration of fans and players. That decision denied Stokes’ side a podium finish in the domestic summer, but the moment of victory will no doubt come on Monday morning.

The South African openers got off to a good start

England began today hoping to turn a 36-run lead into something more substantial, but 13 minutes, three wickets and just four runs later, the innings was over. Kagiso Rabada (4-81) accounted for Robinson (3) and Jack Leach (0) before Marco Jansen (5-35) caught Ben Foakes (14) in the slips to end the innings on 158 and complete a virgin test five -For. South Africa captain Dean Elgar top-scored with 36 in the tourists’ second innings
After slipping to 36-6 on day three, South Africa made a much better start for the second time around as Samel Erwee and Dean Elgar each survived a criticism to help the tourists erase a 40-run first-innings deficit at home nine overs. The partnership had grown to 58 before England found the breakthrough. Stokes came into the attack and needed just three balls to find Hervey’s advantage with Joe Root taking a good catch at first slip. Elgar and Keegan Pietersen saw the Proteas through until lunch, South Africa had given themselves a solid platform to build on, but on the hour after the break a familiar pair swung the game back in England’s favour.

Broad and Anderson turn game for England

And swing, the ball did. Broad got things going with the wicket of Elgar (36) as a noisy third lbw appeal in the 22nd over was positively dealt with by umpire Nitin Menon. Elgar himself also looked convinced as he left before a finger was raised. A decision made completely unaware of the fact that ball tracking showed that he would have missed leg stump. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Stuart Broad dismissed Dean Elgar to go past Glenn McGrath to reach 564 Test wickets, moving him up to fifth on the all-time list
Stuart Broad dismissed Dean Elgar to go past Glenn McGrath to reach 564 Test wickets, moving him up to fifth on the all-time list England were on the rise though, Broad taking 564 Test wickets to move past the great McGrath into fifth on the all-time wicket-taking list. No 565 came soon after when Ryan Rickelton (8) was caught at leg, hit on the back leg, and between those two wickets, Anderson had done for Petersen (23) – Ollie Pope took a smart catch at fourth slip. Sensing the game slipping away from them, Khaya Zondo and Wiann Mulder opted to go deep, setting up their stall to defend and try to blunt England’s highly skilled and experienced duo. The result was over an hour without a limit and even the singles were few and far between.

Proteas bowled England 130 to win the series

Robinson finally broke the deadlock, a 50th wicket coming in just his 11th Test as Mulder (14) dragged the ball onto his stumps via his back foot before pinning Zondo (16) in front with a big back-guard in his next . leave the visitors six down. Meanwhile, Stokes struggled with knee pain in a fine spell at the other end and looked to have earned his reward when Janssen edged out Pope. However, his smile turned to a grimace as the referee held out his hand to indicate he had gone overboard. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player England’s Ollie Robinson took his 50th Test wicket on day four at The Oval
England’s Ollie Robinson took his 50th Test wicket on day four at The Oval The England skipper belatedly introduced his man in the last over before tea. A hoop beat Jansen (4) on the inside edge and straightened the leg stump. Stokes had two balls to complete his over after the break and the second of those saw Rabada take on Harry Brook at third slip. Kyle Verreynne and Keshav Maharaj added some useful runs in the next overs but then fell in the space of six balls – the second bowled by a beauty from Broad and the first caught and bowled by Anderson.

England’s pursuit begins with adventures

Once again, England’s openers – despite a recent dearth of runs – had the idea of ​​imposing on the South African bowlers. The danger of this strategy came to light on the first ball as Lees tried to poke through the covers and sent an outside edge to Jansen, who couldn’t latch on to fourth slip.

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Lees then almost finished, a direct hit from the spot making it very tight, but the third umpire ruled that the England left-hander had brought his bat down in the effort. His eventful start to the innings ended with an unsuccessful review of South Africa for a catch after the ball fell to the cord. A boundary rolling down the ground, the next ball was exactly the response the crowd wanted to see. Crawley, meanwhile, delighted the crowd with boundaries off Rabada – the first powered point before the next was driven elegantly to mid-off. Lees tried another big shot, a top pull from Jansen that just eluded Maharaj at mid-on, before the batsmen settled down for a while.

Crawley goes to fifty before the bad light stops playing

The partnership of 50 drew a huge ovation from the south London crowd and despite a restricted period, Crawley was soon approaching his half-century. Rabada was drilled through the covers and then scornfully pulled to mid-wicket to take Crawley to a sixth Test 50 after a run of 16 innings without one in which he posted 10 single-figure scores. England champions Alex Lees and Crawley shared an unbroken 97
Any luck he may have felt had left him during that period came back to him shortly after the standing ovation that greeted his milestone ended. A fierce pull shot fell from Rickelton to mid-wicket and later in the over, an outside edge flew between the wicketkeeper and first slip. South Africa captain Dean Elgar managed a wry smile, bowler Anrich Nortje wore a rather different expression. Lees finished the next over by powerfully driving past Jansen for four and it looked like victory would come quickly. Instead, with the lights fading, the referees decided they had to send the players off and, while an unpopular decision, will have little impact on the outcome. After just two days of play, England are on the verge of yet another victory under Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

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England bowler Jimmy Anderson: “Great day for us, I thought we bowled really well and we didn’t get the rewards in the first session. They grafted well to get through a tough period. We’re in a great position.” Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player James Anderson says it’s disappointing England couldn’t finish the game but understands decision to end day’s play
James Anderson says it’s disappointing England couldn’t finish the game but understands decision to end day’s play Anderson on Broad: “It means a lot to him [moving past Glenn McGrath] because of how high he held Glenn. “It just shows the amount of work he’s put in and the dedication to the job. He’s a pleasure to deal with on the other…