England seamer Ollie Robinson (5-49) was the star of the show on an extraordinary third day of the final test against South Africa as 17 wickets fell with the tourists bowled out for a pitiful 118 before England replied with 154-7 to claim a first-innings lead of 36.
Robinson and Stuart Broad (4-41) took advantage of the seam movement on a pitch which had been under cover for most of the last 48 hours after the first day’s washout and the cancellation of the second day as a mark of respect for the passing of Queen Elizabeth and the South African batters had no answers.
The only consolation for the shell-shocked Proteas came from left-arm fast bowler Marco Jansen who top-scored with 30 before claiming the first four England wickets to give his team genuine belief that they can fight their way back into the contest. Jansen finished the day with 4-34 from 11 overs.
Robinson started the wicket-fest in the morning with a beautiful delivery to hit the top of Dean Elgar’s off stump in the second over and Sarel Erwee (0) edged the impeccable Jimmy Anderson (1-16) to Ben Foakes for the first of four catches for the England wicketkeeper. Keegan Petersen (12) played no shot to a Robinson off-cutter which nipped back to hit the top of off stump.
Ryan Rickelton (11) edged another off-cutter from the same bowler to the ‘keeper and South Africa’s own wicketkeeper, Kyle Verreynne (0), gained a thin edge to his second ball from Robinson and the tourists were 35-5 at drinks after just an hour of a match which had taken two days to start.
Wiaan Mulder (3) attempted to counter-attack but his optimistic off drive against a rare wide ball from Robinson flew off another outside edge to Foakes and South Africa were 36-6.
Khaya Zondo and Jansen survived until lunch, taken at 69-6, but the carnage continued immediately after the break when Zondo, having struck spinner Jack Leach for a straight six and a cut four, could not control a lifter from Broad in the first over after the resumption which flew to Lees at backward point, Zondo facing 57 balls for his 23.
Robinson claimed his fifth wicket when Jansen, who played four stylish straight drives for his boundaries in a top score of 30 from 59 balls, edged a leg-cutter to Root at first slip. Broad bowled Keshav Maharaj (18) and had last man Anrich Nortje (7) caught at mid-off to finish with 4-41 from 12.2 overs.
England scored at a withering pace throughout their reply but also lost wickets regularly, openers Alex Lees (13) bowled by an inswinger and Zak Crawley lbw for a grimly shotless five from 34 balls.
But Ollie Pope played beautifully on his home ground and, while he was at the crease, England seemed set for a significant lead reaching tea on 84-2. But Root (23) was brilliantly caught by Petersen at third slip and debutant Harry Brook (12) top edged a pull to Rabada at fine leg.
Stokes (6) edged a flashy drive against Nortje to Erwee at first slip and when Pope edged Rabada to Verreynne to depart for a entertaining and stylish 67 from just 77 balls (13x4) South Africa were right back in the contest, especially when Broad (6) departed in identical fashion.
On an emotionally charged day which began with tributes to Queen Elizabeth and a first public singing of national anthem, ‘God Save the King’, for over 70 years, the home side’s bowling and fielding was inspired but an excess of adrenalin saw them fail to take the stranglehold on the game which had seemed so likely two third of the way into the day.
A beautiful few moments as cricket pays its respects to Her Majesty The Queen. pic.twitter.com/3QnZiFEOKq
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 10, 2022
An emotional, poignant day. Thank You. pic.twitter.com/c6pFmyfYc4
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 10, 2022
ENGLAND: Alex Lees, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Ben Foakes, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, James Anderson
SOUTH AFRICA: Dean Elgar (captain), Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Ryan Rickelton, Khaya Zondo, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje