LONDON: South Africa, on Monday, took a one-nil lead in the three-match series against England, beating the hosts by an innings and 12 runs thanks to a five-wicket haul by pace bowler Dale Steyn, securing their first win at the Oval after a masterful display of top order batting.
Hashim Amla’s unbeaten 311 – a Man-of-the-Match performance – ably supported by 182 not out from veteran all-rounder Jacques Kallis and 131 Graeme Smith took the Proteas to 637/2 before they declared, setting England a target of 252 to make them bat again.
But with the hosts resuming on 102/4, England were always facing an uphill battle to save the game and despite some resistance from Ian Bell (55) and Matt Prior (40), saving the task proved impossible.
England, however, had managed to survive the first session virtually unscathed, moving to 177/5 at lunch, with the only wicket to fall that of Ravi Bopara, who was bowled off an inside edge by Dale Steyn for 22 in the seventh over.
Bell was dropped by keeper AB de Villiers off leg-spinner Imran Tahir when he was on 20, with De Villiers failing to hold a thin edge in Tahir’s first over of the day, shortly before the morning drinks break.
Bell and Bopara put on 50 for the fifth wicket and Bell found another useful partner in Matt Prior as the pair added 86 for the sixth wicket.
Both batsmen were caught by Kallis – Prior off spinner Imran Tahir and Bell off Steyn after four-and-a-half hours at the crease and 220 balls.
Steyn took three wickets in 16 deliveries with the second new ball, including Bell’s, whom he had caught at second slip, giving him figures of 5/56 and seven wickets in the match, as England managed 240 all out in their second innings.
The victory is South Africa’s first in 11 matches at the Oval and they had previously lost all three Tests at the south London venue since returning to international cricket in 1991. They will move to the top of the Test rankings if they win the series. (AFP)