That, then is us. A terrific Test is in the books; check back in here or on-site for Raf Nicholson’s match report, which’ll be live shortly. But otherwise, peace out.
The performances of Bell and Filer mean that Heather Knight has a selection poser. Dropping one or other won’t be easy, but Kate Cross will have to come back in; Ryana MadDonald-Gay might be the one to make way.
That series begins on Saturday 11 January – we will, of course, be bringing it to you – and even thinking about it has got me going.
Next for England, of course, is the small matter of The Ashes: three ODIs, three T20s, one Test. We all know what happens to medium pace in Australia, so the way Bell and Filer bowled, in conditions most similar to those awaiting them in January, will make them hard to leave out.
Knight lifts the trophy and her players cheers. They’ve been great in this match, though they won’t like how they batted today, and the form of their quicks, in the absence of Kate Cross, is extremely encouraging.
Heather Knight is smiling hard and rightly so. Only three members of the squad played in England’s last Test win and there’ve been some difficult draws and defeats.
She praises Maia Bouchier and Nat Sciver-Brunt, who scored so quickly on day one that England were in control of the match throughout. She also has great words for MacDonald-Grey then, on Bell, notes that she’s had trouble with consistency in the past, but was great here.
Otherwise, she compliments a great Test track, was pleased with her own knock today, and that’s all she’s got for us.
Laura Wolvaardt is disappointed, but congratulates England, who played well. She praises Mlaba, who was “wonderful”, especially the way she came back on day one, she’d love to play more Test cricket and that’s the only way you can learn – the nets only offer so much. It’s been a busy year, so now’ the time to reflect before they go away again in January.
Lauren Bell is player of the match
“It’s amazing,” she says of her 8-76 in the match. You learn through the game, she says, and though the wind wasn’t easy the pitch helped. So she just had to bowl the same delivery over and over again, she explains, and though she’s a work in progress a performance like that tells her she’s going well – though Filer and MacDonald-Gay were also great.
The pitch was helpful, offering bounce, grubbers and cracks, but the speed, line and length Filer and Bell hit today was fantastic. The winning margin of 286 is a record for them in Tests, and this is the first they’ve won since beating Australia in January 2014.
Throughout the match there’s been a sense that England are just a bit too good for South Africa. And so this last couple of hours has proved, Bell and Filer hurling heat as head were mislaid; much as we can criticise the batting, the bowling was nasty.
But don’t allow what’s just happened to obscure the good things SA did: there were some good knocks in their first innings, Mlaba took tenfer, and there’s plenty on which they can build.
WICKET! Mlaba run out (Bell) 15 (South Africa 64 all out) England win by 286 runs!
Abject from South Africa, awesome from England.
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Oh my goodness me, Malaba is miles inside her crease, but tries to avoid the throw and when ball breaks stumps, bat and feet are in the air! What a way to go!
20th over: South Africa 65-8 (Sekhukhune 5, Mlaba 15) Target 351 Six fielders around the bat now, but it’s four fours in a row when Sekhukhune clobbers just past Beaumont’s ear and to the fence at deep square. A single follows, then an appeal for leg before, rejected. So Mlaba goes down the ground, Bell wears it on the shin, shies, hits, and is that that? I think she’s in, but she’ neither grounded bat nor slid. Upstairs we go..
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19th over: South Africa 59-8 (Sekhukhune 0, Mlaba 14) Target 351 Bell finally has a rest, MacDonald-Gay given a twirl, and Sekhukhune forces a single into the on side. We learn that the injured Hlbi won’t bat, so this is the final wicket, and Mlaba plans to get all the runs herself, opening the face to slash four through backward point before flaying over mid-off for for more. Her 10 makes her her side’s top scorer, and to emphasise the point she throws hands again, toe-ending to the fence at deep backward point for three boundaries on the spin.
18th over: South Africa 46-8 (Sekhukhune 0, Mlaba 2) Target 351 On a king pair, Mlaba – who ought to have her feet up, a cool beverage, and her teammates fanning her, is back in the middle. She plays her first delivery to cover, then swipes to midwicket and they run two/
WICKET! Kapp c Beaumont b Ecclestone 21 (South Africa 44-8)
Ripper! Ecclestone, into her fourth over and still to concede a run, finds a bit of extra bounce outside off. So Kapp fences and, at silly point, Beaumont vaults forward for a crouch, holding on to a beauty inches off the ground and inches from the popping crease. This has been an amazing passage.
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16th over: South Africa 44-7 (Kapp 10, Sekhukhune 0) Target 351 The lowest total in women’s Tests is 35, scored by England against Australia in 1958; SA’s lowest is 76 against Australia earlier this year.
17th over: South Africa 44-7 (Kapp 10, Sekhukhune 0) Target 351 Yup, Bell continues and when one lobs up to short leg, there’s an appeal, but think Sekhukhune hid her bat, just about, and the umpire agrees. Another maiden, and still 20 overs left in the day.
16th over: South Africa 44-7 (Kapp 10, Sekhukhune 0) Target 351 Ecclestone wheels through a swift maiden, and will Bell get another over? You’d have to think so; you’d certainly not want to try getting the ball off her.
“Re the Dercksen catch,” writes David Herbert, “the right decision might have been made, but South Africa had no such recourse when Laura Wolvaardt smashed it into her pads in the first innings. Either there is DRS or we accept human error, we can’t have a hybrid where no one is clear what gets reviewed and what doesn’t.”
It wasn’t England who sought recourse, it was the umpire, so we can assume something happened to stop her seeing properly because I’m absiolutely certian they know the laws.
15th over: South Africa 44-7 (Kapp 10, Sekhukhune 0) Target 351 Bell goes around to the left-handed new batter, who just about contrives an inside-edge on to the pad, else she too was hutchwards bound. Bell has 4-27 off eight!
WICKET! Jafta lbw b Bell 0 (South Africa 44-7)
AND THAT’S NOT THE END OF IT! Full, pitched up, swinging in … and it’s far too good for Jafta who, head gone, waves bat without authority, and when the ball hits the back pad, you know she’s gone. Eight in the match for Bell; might she too manage tenfer?
15th over: South Africa 44-6 (Kapp 21, Jafta 0) Target 351 To her credit, Kapp is batting with aggression and tenacity, shoving four to cover then clattering four more through the same area, next ball. A two and a one follow, Bell presumably flagging on her eighth over, but 3-27 is a presentable and entirely merited return.
14th over: South Africa 33-6 (Kapp 10, Jafta 0) Target 351 Looking again, with DRS Tryon might’ve got an umpire’s call. But there isn’t one, she knows there isn’t one, and she padded one away from in front of the pegs; it’s hard to sympathise.
WICKET! Tryon lbw b Ecclestone 0 (South Africa 33-6)
Oh dear, this is hard to watch now. Ecclestone tries an arm ball, really tight line, and Tryon shoulders arms, offering pad. She might be outside the line at impact, but because she plays no shot, she’s given out because her stumps were history.
14th over: South Africa 33-5 (Kapp 10, De Klerk 0) Target 351 Lovely ball from Ecclestone, looping, dipping, and bouncing, narrowly avoiding the shoulder of Tryon’s bat.
13th over: South Africa 33-5 (Kapp 10, De Klerk 0) Target 351 I said earlier that this has been an entertaining contest and it has – it still is – but it’s never quite got close. England, though, will be buzzing with how nasty this opening pair look, though Kapp adds two to cover. So Bell tries an inswinging yorker, which she digs out well, then just about manages a toe-end on one homing in towards her stumps.
12th over: South Africa 31-5 (Kapp 8, Tryon 0) Target 351 We can criticise the batting, which hasn’t been ideal, and the running just there, which was silly, but the story here is how beautifully England have bowled with the match there to be grabbed.
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WICKET! De Klerk run out 0 (South Africa 31-5)
A pair for De Klerk, but why didn’t she ground her bat, never mind drive? I’ll tell you why: pressure.
12th over: South Africa 31-4 (Kapp 8, De Klerk 0) Target 351 Filer’s off … so Ecclestone can come on. Or, in other words, it’s not getting any more pleasant for the Saffers. Brains are frazzled out there, and when Kapp opens the face to ease behind, De Klerk sets off, Jones fields the throw nicely, and breaks the stumps. We go upstairs, but I’m sure that’s gawn.
11th over: South Africa 31-4 (Kapp 8, De Klerk 0) Target 351 Bell roasts De Klerk outside off, doing her with pace and bounce that is so nasty the batter can’t even muster an edge. We said it at tea, but don’t be surprised if this ends tonight.
WICKET! Luus b Bell 1 (South Africa 31-4)
What a spell this is from England’s openers. Bell’s first delivery keeps low, then second pitches outside off, punkt on a length, and another one jags in, this time cracking off-stump! This is the end, beautiful friend, the end
10th over: South Africa 31-3 (Luus 1, Kapp 8) Target 351 Eeeesh, after a dot and a leg bye, Filer bangs one in and finds abittabounce, catching Kapp on the arm; not nice. But Kapp isn’t behind the door in attacking herself, and offered a little width, just back of a length, she presses forward and down on to one knee, smoking four through cover, then driving four more to long on. Lovely work.
9th over: South Africa 22-3 (Luus 1, Kapp 0) Target 351 There’s no DRS in this match, so the umpire must’ve blinked, been unsighted or similar. England were very confident and it looked out to me both at the time and on replay, so I don’t suppose SA have much about which they can complain: the correct decision was reached.
WICKET! Dercksen c Beaumont b Bell 9 (South Africa 22-3)
Yup, Dercksen comes forward, ball flicks inside edge then pad, as far as I can see, and South Africa are in terrible trouble. This has been a helluva spell from the England openers.
9th over: South Africa 22-2 (Dercksen 9, Luus 1) Target 351 Bell lopes in and Luus opens the face, earning one to deep third, then angling in one that then moves away and Dercksen edges … just shy of Ecclestone at one. She needs to stand closer, I think, because we’ve seen the pitch deadening bounces, but forget that, next ball Dercksen is beaten, there’s an appeal for a bat-pad catch at short leg, and the umpire says no! I’m not sure about that – I think there was willow involved – and she must’ve blinked or something, because after a quick conference with her square-leg counterpart, we go upstairs for another look…
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8th over: South Africa 17-2 (Dercksen 5, Luus 0) Target 351 Dercksen narrowly avoids imparting an edge when pinned on the crease, but she’s affecting enjoyment, grinning broadly after putting bat on a straighter one. A bouncer follows, ducked, and the over ends with a Filer extracting a bit of extra bounce, Dercksen just about fending off. Maiden, and this is excellent gear from England’s openers.
7th over: South Africa 17-2 (Dercksen 5, Luus 0) Target 351 Bell is looking to slant in at the stumps from wide, and eventually Dercksen flashes, waving a bat at one that’s a little wider to guide four past the second of two slips. That’s her off the mark, and when Bell strays down leg, she helps the ball around the corner and they add one more.
6th over: South Africa 12-2 (Dercksen 0, Luus 0) Target 351 Filer flies in again, finishing off her pre-tea over and completing a wicket-maiden.
We go again…
That, then, is tea. Mlaba ran through England in fine style, but Bell and Filer have more or less secured a victory that already felt inevitable, and the way this is going, i’d not be shocked if it comes this evening. See you in 15 to find out…
WICKET! Bosch lbw b Filer 4 (South Africa 12-2)
I don’t know about this, I really, really don’t. Filer flings one in from wide of the crease, angling towards leg, and it looks to be going down when hits the front pad, Bosch getting in a terrible position, leaping with bat nowhere to be seen. The umpire reckons it’s gone – Bosch, who might now regret refusing the single is less confident – and England are all over it.
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6th over: South Africa 12-1 (Bosch 4, Dercksen 0) Target 351 England offer Bosch a single, eager to get after Bosch; Bosch refuses.
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5th over: South Africa 12-1 (Bosch 4, Dercksen 0) Target 351 Dercksen spent the last over at the non-striker’s but she’s got to work now, leaving her first ball before putting bat on the second, defending back to the bowler. England are lively out there, fancying another breakthrough while Dercksen takes her time, hoping to make this the final over of the session. But she can’t quite make it happen, seeing out a maiden; Filer will now go at Bosch, and there’s a real sense of anticipation…
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4th over: South Africa 12-1 (Bosch 4, Dercksen 0) Target 351 I won’t lie, I was about to wonder if Ecclestone would have to do most of the wicket-taking and perhaps she still will. But that ball was so good, our commentary team is as dead before the umpire had even thought about raising a finger. And now it’s Bell charging in, Bosch seeing off four dots before one with a tighter line but overpitched incites her to drive, and she creams four through cover. We might get two overs more if England are quick.
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WICKET! Wolvaardt lbw b Bell 4 (South Africa 8-1)
Jaffa! Outspan! Bell goes wider of the crease, unleashes one that jags in with the angle, it keeps low, and there’s no keeping that out! Monstrous breakthrough!
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3rd over: South Africa 8-0 (Wolvaardt 4, Bosch 0) Target 351 England are rushing through, looking to force in as many overs as possible before tea – this one and two more, I reckon. Wolvaardt’s footwork has been nice and aggressive so far – if her side are to even have a dart at the win, she’ll have to contribute – and she drives well, but picks out the fielder at mid-off. Then, sent a shorter one, she goes fractionally back and across to flow four through cover…
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2nd over: South Africa 4-0 (Wolvaardt 0, Bosch 0) Target 351 Filer starts with a decent enough delivery, but her second is way wide of off but somehow not called wide. There’s not much pace in this track now – the four byes reached the keeper on the second bounce – but the bowler’s bending her back and there’s momentary excitement when Bosch fends off towards but ultimately not close to short leg. Maiden.
1st over: South Africa 4-0 (Wolvaardt 0, Bosch 0) Target 351 Bell tears in and is on the money right away, Wolvaardt coming forward to the first three deliveries, then a wide one which doesn’t bounce scuttles through Jones and goes for four.
And off we go…
Can South Africa seriously chase what’d be a world record 351? Er, probably not, but in the first dig, four of their top five proved themselves good enough to score against this attack. If one can go on this time, they’re in the match.
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So Mlaba finishes with 6-67, 10-157 in the match, the finest ever recorded by a South African bowler. And she’s deserved it too, bowling the hard overs when England were all over it on day one before diddling their two top-scorers – Knight and Sciver-Brunt – along with the lower-middle-order – today. A brilliant performance, and at 24, she’s only going to get better.
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WICKET! Filer c sub (Klaas) b De Klerk (England 236 all out) South Africa need 351 to win!
Filer twinkles down … and flips directly to midwicket! South Africa have rustled England out in short order, and will attack a daunting chase in good heart.
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74th over: England 236-9 (Filer 3, Bell 3) Mlaba pins Bell on the crease for the first half of the over and there’s not much foot movement as one beats her between bat and pad. So next ball, she has a waft, just missing the fielder at cover, and they run two; it’s Wolvaardt, who’s hurt herself in some way, so there’s a brief pause as the physio tends to her. A dot follows, and the lead is 350.
73rd over: England 234-9 (Filer 3, Bell 1) The lead is 346 as De Klerk bounces in, the question whether Knight will declare before tea, coming up in 40 minutes, to give her quicks two goes with the new boulder. With 10 minutes needed to change over, she’s not much scope to procrastinate, but in the meantime a bye and a single to Bell add two to the score.
72nd over: England 232-9 (Filer 3, Bell 0) Nonkululeko Mlaba, people!
WICKET! MacDonald-Gay v Malaba 4 (England 232-9)
Marvellous Mlaba has her tenfer! She gives one some air, it drips and drifts, not loads but just enough, and when MacDonald-Gay misses, she’s cleaned up through the gate!
71st over: England 231-8 (MacDonald-Gay 4, Filer 2) Two new tailenders at the crease means time for pace, De Klerk replacing Sekhukhune, who almost yorks Filer; instead, an edge adds one. MacDonald-Gay then chases a wide one, narrowly avoiding an edge, and this is a really entertaining contest. Mlaba, up next from the other end, needs one of the two remaining wickets for tenfer – something bowlers are great as Branderson never managed.
70th over: England 230-8 (MacDonald-Gay 4, Filer 1) Filer gets off the mark with a sweep of her own, and I’d expect the batters to throw hands now.
WICKET! Knight lbw b Mlaba 90 (England 229-8)
It’s Knight who’s leaving! She slips on to one knee to sweep a full one, misses, and wears it on the pad. I’d like to see it again because it might’ve been going down, but it was a decent delivery nonetheless, and that’s five for Mlaba! Well bowled! And, in fairness, well batted!
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69th over: England 229-7 (Knight 90, MacDonald-Gay 4) Knight is 11 away from a ton and I sense she’ll want to get there swiftly, lest she be left. But she trusts her partner to face three deliveries, flicking into the on side and taking one; MacDonald-Gay defends positively, then edges Sekhukhune between keeper and slip to get off the mark with a four. Five from the over, the lead 343.
68th over: England 224-7 (Knight 89, MacDonald-Gay 0) Mlaba flights one into MacDonald-Gay’s pads, there’s an appeal, but it’s nowhere near.
Thanks James and morning everyone. Every time England look set to pull away, they’re hauled back … but do they have enough runs already?
The players take drinks as a side to Ecclestone’s departure. That’s me done, here’s Daniel Harris to bring you the fun stuff this afternoon. Bye!
WICKET! Sophie Ecclestone lbw b Mlaba 16 (England 224-7)
Eight wickets in the match to Mlaba! She pins Ecclestone stone dead with a straight ball that skids on.
67th over: England 222-6 (Knight 88, Ecclestone 15) On we nudge towards the Knight century and England declaration. We will get there. I promise.
66th over: England 220-6 (Knight 87, Ecclestone 14) Three harum scarum runs off Mlaba, Knight goes onto the ‘dreaded’ 87 but she’s not Australian so will likely pay it no heed.
65th over: England 217-6 (Knight 85, Ecclestone 13) Sekhukhune returns and is on the money, England can only eke a single.
64th over: England 216-6 (Knight 84, Ecclestone 13) Ecclestone flays a length ball from Mlaba high over the infield but the ball plugs like a blueberry in a bowl of porridge. They come back for two and England roll onwards toward Declaration City.
63rd over: England 214-6 (Knight 84, Ecclestone 11) England are motoring again, Ecclestone pulverises a SIX over the leg side fence and Knight times away through the leg side for four more. Century and a declaration Heather?
62nd over: England 202-6 (Knight 79, Ecclestone 4) Heather Knight keeps chugging towards a century by slapping a full toss from Mlaba to the square leg fence. She nurdles a single off the last ball of the over to keep strike too.
61st over: England 197-6 (Knight 74, Ecclestone 4) Luus bowls stump to stump, Knight and Ecclestone pick off four singles. South Africa have picked up 2-50 in this session so far but are still well behind in this game.
60th over: England 193-6 (Knight 72, Ecclestone 2) Close! Heather Knight attempts a sweep off Mlaba but gets a top edge, the ball flying over the keeper and they scamper two more runs.
59th over: England 190-6 (Knight 70, Ecclestone 1) Here comes Sophie Ecclestone, she can give it some humpty. She starts with a back foot punch for one to get off the mark.
WICKET! Charlie Dean c Sekhukhune b Mlaba 1
Another one gone! Charlie Dean closes the face too early and departs for one run off ten balls. Not the ideal innings in the circumstances. I mean, England lead by over 300 now so they have enough already. Do take my word for it, I’ll eat my Christmas tree if South Africa get within 50 runs of the eventual target.
58th over: England 188-6 (Knight 69)
58th over: England 184-5 (Knight 69, Dean 1) Dean is off the mark with a single clipped off her pads to leg, that’s all for England off the over. The lead is up to 298 runs.
57th over: England 183-5 (Knight 69, Dean 0) Charlie Dean is the new batter and she’s nearly scudded out by a pea roller from Mlaba! That kept very low, England won’t mind seeing that at all.
WICKET! Amy Jones c Wolvaardt b Mlaba 24 (England 182-5)
Amy Jones falls in the pursuit of setting up the match, she trots down and tries to smear Mlaba into the leg side but a leading edge sees the ball swirl above Wolvaardt in the covers and she manages to cling on to the catch. That wicket a sure sign England are looking to get the ball in hand sooner rather than later.
56th over: England 182-4 (Knight 69, Jones 24) Knight and Jones are looking to up the ante but keep finding the fielders. A reverse-sweep from Knight would have brought four but went straight to the fielder on the ‘45. A few signs of frustration as England look to get on with it.
55th over: England 180-4 (Knight 68, Jones 23) Chance! Drop! Knight plays a full blooded cut to Mlaba and the thick edge flies to the right hand of Luus in the slips! The fielder anticipated it and got a good chunk but the power saved Knight, the ball bursting through the hands and hitting the turf. They stick or they don’t, and that one didn’t.
54th over: England 179-4 (Knight 67, Jones 23) Luus whirls through another over, three pilfered for England.
53rd over: England 176-4 (Knight 65, Jones 22) Knight goes back to Mlaba and unfurls a delightful late cut for three. Good intent from England after the lunch break. Foot down this afternoon and bowling at South Africa after tea you’d think? This pitch has no demons in it, they’ll need time to get the ten wickets needed to secure the win.
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52nd over: England 171-4 (Knight 61, Jones 21) Knight plays a clever tickle to a length ball and they scamper two runs behind square. Wonder when she allows herslef to think about notching a third Test century?
51st over: England 168-4 (Knight 58, Jones 21) Mlaba with the first over of the afternoon, yields a single to Heather Knight through deep point.
The players are emerging in Bloemfontein. South Africa up against it, England lead by 281 with Jones looking dangerous and Knight set like granite. They think that’s problems? I’ve just overboiled two eggs. Powdery and horrible.
Ben Stokes latest:
LUNCH: England 167-4 (Lead by 281 runs)
Amy Jones is playing a sparky cameo for England before lunch, she rocks back and heaves two boundaries into the leg side of de Klerk before driving for two off the final ball, making sure her captain Heather Knight stays on her toes with the lunch bell tolling. It could well be chimes of doom for South Africa in this match too. England lead by 281 and the players making their way off for lunch.
50th over: England 167-4 (Knight 57, Jones 21)
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49th over: England 157-4 (Knight 57, Jones 11) Just a single apiece off Luus. de Klerk is coming on to bowl the final session of the morning. Despite losing three wickets, it’s been England’s session (so far… )
47th over: England 155-4 (Knight 56, Jones 10) de Klerk comes back for an over or two before lunch. Here’s the official word from Cricket South Africa on Hlubi:
Ayanda Hlubi has been ruled out of the remainder of the Test match but could bat if need be as a No.11 batter. She underwent a scan this morning which confirmed a Grade 1 hip flexor tear. Tazmin Brits has replaced her on the field.”
46th over: England 152-4 (Knight 55, Jones 9) Sune Luus comes on for a whirl with a few minutes before the lunch break. She bowled a long spell in the first innings and did a decent job of keeping an end quiet. Three singles pocketed off her first.
45th over: England 149-4 (Knight 53, Jones 8) Amy Jones shows her class through the leg side with a flick off her hip that races through the gap and away for four. Just hearing that Hlubi will not take the field again for the rest of this match, a real shame for her and shows the perils of players only getting intermittent Test matches, the strain put on the body is much more heightened than in ODIs and T20s.
44th over: England 144-4 (Knight 52, Jones 4) Amy Jones is the new batter, she blocks out her first delivery from Sekhukhune before hitting her second to the square leg fence with Swiss clock timing. Welcome.
WICKET! Wyatt-Hodge c Bosch b Sekhukhune 23 (England 140-4)
Wyatt Hodge hits consecutive boundaries off Sekhukhune but the bowler has the last laugh as a length ball is spliced into the hands of Bosch in the slips, a sharp catch pouched and Wyatt-Hodge has to depart.
43rd over: England 131-3 (Knight 51, Wyatt-Hodge 15) Ayanda Hlubi can be spotted doing some stretches with the physio on the boundary edge, South Africa could really do with her shaking off her groin strain and getting back out there some time very soon.
42nd over: England 129-3 (Knight 50, Wyatt-Hodge 14) Sekhukhune has a slip in place and tightens things up with a maiden. England’s lead up to 243 runs, a couple more runs and South Africa will need to rack up the highest fourth innings total in women’s Test history. Don’t just take my word for it.
41st over: England 129-3 (Knight 50, Wyatt-Hodge 14) Heather Knight brings up her fifth Test fifty with a glide to backward point. It comes off 99 balls, she’s been watchful this morning but has rotated the strike and put the bad balls away. Textbook Test match batting… if such a thing exists these days.
40th over: England 128-3 (Knight 49, Wyatt-Hodge 14) A juicy and almost snow capped full toss is served up by Sekhukhune first ball, Wyatt-Hodge throws the bat at it and gets a meaty edge away to the deep third boundary.
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39th over: England 122-3 (Knight 48, Wyatt-Hodge 9) Three taken off Mlaba, England not being put under enough pressure, release balls easy to come by. The visitors are effectively 236-3 with half an hour until lunch. Sekhukhune is being summoned, which I think is a good move. South Africa need to keep taking wickets.
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38th over: England 119-3 (Knight 48, Wyatt-Hodge 8) Tryon leaks seven runs from her latest over, a low full toss is a gift to Wyatt-Hodge, who’s eyes light up as she sweeps it away for four.
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37th over: England 112-3 (Knight 47, Wyatt-Hodge 3) Danni Wyatt-Hodge is the new batter, she can take this game well out of South Africa’s reach in double quick time if she gets going. She picks up two singles with a flick to leg and cut to deep point.
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WICKET! Nat Sciver-Brunt b Mlaba 37 (England 109-3)
Chopped on! Sciver-Brunt goes back to cut and the ball keeps a little low, the under edge onto the stumps emitting the death-rattle. She was dropped on 19 and eventually departs for a well made 37.
36th over: England 109-2 (Knight 46, Sciver-Brunt 37) Fairy soft hands from Knight as she opens the face and glides for four through the vacant slip region. It looked slightly edgy on the replay but I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt that it was deliberate.
35th over: England 103-2 (Knight 41, Sciver-Brunt 36) Sciver-Brunt picks up four with a fine sweep. England notch up the 100 and are beginning to accelerate the run rate.
34th over: England 99-2 (Knight 41, Sciver-Brunt 32) Chloe Tryon is bowling at least one boundary ball per over and looking a lot less threatening than the rest of the bowlers on show this morning. If this doesn’t get her a wicket then I don’t know what will… Knight sweeps fine for four down to the fine leg fence.
33rd over: England 93-2 (Knight 36, Sciver-Brunt 31) A massive drop behind the stumps! Mlaba gets the edge off Nat Sciver-Brunt’s forward poke but Jafta spills it! It popped in and out, huge groans in the field. Salt, meet Wound. NSB shrugs off the drop by plundering three boundaries off the rest of the over – a beautiful back foot drive through the covers the pick of them. Heads droop a little on the home side as the lead goes above 200.
32nd over: England 81-2 (Knight 36, Sciver-Brunt 19) Tryon releases the pressure once again, spearing a ball down the leg side that rolls away for four byes and following up with a wide ball outside off stump that is crunched to the off side by Knight, the boundary rider managing to swoop round and keep it to a single. England’s lead up to 195 runs, South Africa need to break this partnership.
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31st over: England 75-2 (Knight 35, Sciver-Brunt 18) A tidy Mlaba maiden takes us to drinks.
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30th over: England 75-2 (Knight 35, Sciver-Brunt 18) Chloe Tryon is coming on, another important change, the left-arm spinner wasn’t at her best in the first innings and she drops short with her first over. Sciver-Brunt pulls a half-tracker to the midwicket fence.
29th over: England 68-2 (Knight 34, Sciver-Brunt 12) Two singles off a tidy over from Mlaba. Fifteen overs in the first hour, one wicket to South Africa and 37 runs to England. Good Test criggit.
28th over: England 66-2 (Knight 33, Sciver-Brunt 11) Dercksen has really tightened up and sends down a maiden, finding some pace and movement to keep NSB honest.
27th over: England 66-2 (Knight 33, Sciver-Brunt 11) Mlaba starts well, flight and dip drawing Sciver-Brunt into a drive and the edge squirts wide of slip and away for four.
26th over: England 60-2 (Knight 32, Sciver-Brunt 6) Dercksen tightens up after that loosey-goosey first over. Just a single to Knight. de Klerk is going to have a breather and we’ll have some spin in the form of Nonkululeko Mlaba. An important spell coming up for her, she’ll have quite a bit of graft to get through over the coming hours.
25th over: England 59-2 (Knight 31, Sciver-Brunt 6) de Klerk into her sixth over of the morning. She’s been impressive and accurate, just a single off it. How many more can she reel off in this heat though?
24th over: England 58-2 (Knight 30, Sciver-Brunt 6) Annerie Dercksen enters the attack and immediately the pressure lifts as she can’t find her line and length. A wide down the leg side is followed by a stylish cut for four by Knight. Gah! A leg side wide evades the keeper and trickles away for another boundary. Ten off the over.
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23rd over: England 48-2 (Knight 25, Sciver-Brunt 5) Close! Sciver-Brunt is lucky to survive the over! A leading edge falls agonisingly short of the fielder at mid-on and then de Klerk has head in hands once again the next ball – she moves Chloe Tryon close in catching on the leg side and Sciver-Brunt nearly obliges straightaway, hitting the ball on the bounce to Chloe Tryon in the very same position. A couple of steps closer and that was a catchable. Pressure building in Bloemfontein.
22nd over: England 47-2 (Knight 25, Sciver-Brunt 4) Three off the over as Knight and NSB work into the leg side. Plenty of chirp from the fielders and behind the stumps, South Africa know this is the partnership they need to break before it gains any real momentum.
21st over: England 44-2 (Knight 24, Sciver-Brunt 2) Just a single off de Klerk’s latest. The seamers keeping it tight for South Africa, the real challenge will come if England keep them out there into their second and third spells. It looks a scorcher.
20th over: England 43-2 (Knight 24, Sciver-Brunt 1) Nat Sciver-Brunt, fresh off a first innings century, joins her captain in the middle. If she goes early then the home side will really begin to believe. A flick off the toes to midwicket get’s NSB underway.
WICKET! Beaumont lbw b Sekhukhune 12 (England 42-2)
Gone! Beaumont is undone by a nip-backing inswinger, the ball thudding into her pad in front of all three stumps giving the umpire no reason to doubt and duly raise the finger. A reward for fine bowling so far this morning from South Africa.
19th over: England 40-1 (Knight 24, Beaumont 12) The pressure cooker just begins to hiss in Bloemfontein as a third maiden in a row is reeled off. Knight is solid in defence, de Klerk is finding a bit of swing through the air.
18th over: England 40-1 (Knight 24, Beaumont 12) Consecutive maidens, Sekhukhune lands it on a handkerchief and South Africa keep things tight.
17th over: England 40-1 (Knight 24, Beaumont 12) de Klerk stitches together a maiden for the Proteas. Knight climbs into a delivery wide of off stump but her powerful drive is straight to the fielder at point. The hands are stung and no run taken. England’s lead is 154 runs, 100 more added to that and they’ll be clear favourites to take the game.
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16th over: England 40-1 (Knight 24, Beaumont 12) There are a few injury niggles in South Africa’s bowling line up, Marizanne Kapp is struggling by all accounts. She’s wearing her long sleeve top in the field whereas she normally has the short sleeves on, it could jsut be sun shade but it might also be a sign that she isn’t planning on bowling many overs today. Tumi Sekhukhune has the second over of the day and it’s a decent one, just two singles taken off it.
15th over: England 38-1 (Knight 23, Beaumont 11) Beaumont tickles the first ball off her toes to open proceedings. De Klerk is full and looking for some movement with this ball only fourteen overs old. Shot! Heather Knight is too good to let a floaty half volley go by unpunished and she leans into a cover drive and threads the gap skilfully to get the first boundary of the day. Conditions look very good for batting.
The players take the field, an intriguing first session in prospect. Laura Wolvaardt’s South Africa need a couple of quick wickets to put the pressure on and make sure that England don’t get too far in front. A light breeze billows the shirts and flagpoles, Nadine de Klerk is going to bowl the first over. Tammy Beaumont on strike, let’s play!
Righto, my tv is now beaming in pictures of a bright and sunny Bloemfontein into my rather murky front room in South London. Heather Knight is doing some shadow batting and the South African team are in a huddle on the boundary edge.
And here’s Ali’s report of the men’s side going down in the final Test of the series in New Zealand, to dip into your Burford Browns:
Here’s Raf’s report from Day two to dig into with your cornflakes:
Preamble
Hello and welcome to day three of South Africa v England in Bloemfontein. After classy centuries from Maia Bouchier and Nat Sciver Brunt in their first innings and with Lauren Bell heading up an impressive all-round team bowling performance with four wickets, Heather Knight’s side are in a commanding position and will be looking to set up victory over the next day or so.
The captain and experienced hand Tammy Beaumont are at the crease with a lead of 145 and nine more wickets in which to stretch it to a match winning position. South Africa need quick wickets to keep their fourth innings chase to a manageable one. It promises to be a corker.
The action gets away in a little over half an hour, I’ll be here to take you through the first half of the day before throwing to Daniel Harris for the second. Let us know your thoughts, theories and festive musings at the email on the left hand side of this page.
It’s the most crickety time of the year.
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