SA v Eng 4th Test Review: England surrenders to the fiery Rabada

South Africa did not have to wait long on the day five to achieve their sole consolidatory victory as Kagiso Rabada (6/32) and Morne Morkel (3/36) upstaged England completely, helping South Africa register its first win in 10 Tests.

James Taylor and Joe Root had given some confidence to the English fans with the way they batted out the final overs on day four. However, they were complete disappointment on the final day. The visitors has slumped 18/3 while chasing a target of 382 runs to win after South Africa declared at 248/5 on a rain-hit day four.

England began with a steeper hill to climb but it was only a matter time that their batting line-up was proved hollow by the South Africans. The Proteas bowlers continued their great work and delivered a double blow to England’s hopes of saving the match after James Taylor and Joe Root were sent packing in back to back overs.

Morne Morkel, who was into his first over of the day, struck straightaway after he managed to unsettle James Taylor. Taylor could not manage a ball which was shaping in sharply and gloved it behind to the keeper to mark his dismissal. Root also could not sustain and fell victim to Dane Piedt off the third ball of the following over.

Stokes and Bairstow were playing with their natural instinct and tried to counter attack Morkel and Rabada. However, Morkel and Rabada did not take long to prove their authority.

Bairstow treated Rabada rashly after he started off with a boundary to commence the 28th over. Rabada evened the score by dismissing him two balls later in the same over.

Morkel got better of Stokes in the subsequent over to bring down England to 87/7. South Africa ‘ win was the only possibility from here as only a miracle could have saved the Test for the Englishmen.

South Africa’s hero Rabada went full throttle and needed only a couple of overs to wipe clean the tail-ender.  Woakes, Broad and Anderson all fell to Rabada. Woakes was removed two over after the fall of Stokes while Broad and Anderson went one after another in the 35th over to put an end to the match.

England never tried to rebuild the crumbling innings. The red-hot Rabada was too hot to handle while Morkel gave him the perfect support. This win will surely do a lot of wonders to the morale of the South African team. England, however, still have reasons to smile as they lift the Basil D’Oliveira trophy 2-1.

First Innings:

South Africa: 475 all out in 132 overs (Quinton de Kock 129; Ben Stokes 4/86)

England: 342 all out 104.2 overs (Alastair Cook 76; Kagiso Rabada 7/112)

Second Innings:

South Africa: 248/5d (Hashim Amla 96; James Anderson 3/47)

England: 101 all out in 34.5 over (James Taylor 24; Kagiso Rabada 6/32, Morne Morkel 3/36)

Man of the Match – Kagiso Rabada

Man of the Series – Ben Stokes