After being thrashed inside three days in the first Test at Lord's, England bounced back in stunning fashion as they steamrollered South Africa inside three days to level the series at Old Trafford.
From the moment Proteas captain Dean Elgar decided to bat after winning the toss, England have virtually dominated the Test match as they won by an innings and 85 runs. Captain Ben Stokes was the star of the show with both bat and ball as he scored a magnificent century and picked up four crucial wickets in the match.
England began day three firmly in control thanks to hundreds from Stokes and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes and proceeded to take three quick wickets for just 21 runs to reduce South Africa to 54-3. James Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Stuart Broad made the breakthroughs, with Anderson uprooting Elgar's off stump to send him packing for 11, Robinson nicking off Sarel Erwee for 25 and Broad removing Aiden Markram for six.
Keegan Petersen and Rassie Van der Dussen then did their utmost to blunt England's attack, lasting 159 and 132 balls respectively as they batted doggedly and fought hard. The pair shared a partnership worth 87 runs and blocked out an entire session before Stokes sprung into action after tea.
In a stunning spell that saw him deliver 14 consecutive overs, the skipper removed both players in quick succession, getting Van der Dussen caught behind for 41 and then producing a brilliant ball to dismiss Petersen for 42.
With Petersen and Van der Dussen gone, England then ripped through South Africa's tail with the second new ball as Anderson and Robinson took centre stage. It took Anderson just two deliveries with the new ball to make the breakthrough as he bowled Simon Harmer for 16, picking up his 950th international wicket in the process.
Anderson also dismissed Kagiso Rabada for two as he ended with figures of 3-30, while Robinson picked up the wickets of Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi to wrap up the innings and a brilliant victory for England.
"It was set up wonderfully by the way we played in the first innings and we just flew in and gave it our all today," Stokes told BBC Test Match Special after the match. "One of the most impressive things was the fact we never let up.
"Ben Foakes should have been man of the match really, seven catches, a match-defining innings, he is a delight to have there."
