Cape Town — It all ended in a huff and a puff as the Proteas blew England’s house down at Lord’s on Friday.
Dean Elgar’s team recorded a famous victory, by an innings and 12 runs, to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
England resumed on 38/2, still trailing by 123 runs, before capitulating in the afternoon London sun. The Proteas required just 37.2 overs to steamroll the hosts for a paltry 149.
Joe Root often holds England’s batting unit together and is central to his team’s overall philosophy as it allows the more attacking batters to go out and play their way.
But this Proteas attack is relentless in sticking to their disciplines and none more so is Lungi Ngidi. Often the unsung hero among the “Awesome Foursome”, Ngidi finally gained reward for his consistency when he found Root’s outside edge, which Aiden Markram took comfortably at second slip.
This opened the door for Anrich Nortje to steam in. The Uitenhage Express was like a wrecking ball, scathing through the England middle-order.
Nortje drew first blood when Jonny Bairstow (18) edged behind to Kyle Verreynne and then removed opener Alex Lees, who had lived a charmed life until then.
Lees (35) fell in a similar manner to Bairstow and England were deep in the quagmire at 86/5.
This quickly became 86/6 when Nortje picked up his third after Ben Foakes was also caught behind by Verryenne.
Stuart Broad (35) and captain Ben Stoakes (20) entertained the Lord’s crowd for a brief period, but it was only a prelude to the final act from the Proteas, with Kagiso Rabada (2/27) and Marco Jansen (2/13) finishing off the Test in style.
Scorecard
England: 161 and 149 (Nortje 3/47, Rabada 2/27, Jansen 2/13, Maharaj 2/35)
South Africa: 326
SA won by an innings and 12 runs
IOL Sport