, 1st Test: South Africa vs England 5th day live

   
 1st Test: South Africa vs England 5th day live
   

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England 303 & 326
South Africa 214 & 136/4 (47.0 ov)
South Africa require another 280 runs with 6 wickets remaining
South Africa RR 2.89
Last 10 ovs 16/1 RR 1.60
Stumps - Day 4     Current time 07:03 local, 05:03 GMT     Test Career
Batsmen     R     B     4s     6s     SR     This bowler     Last 10 ovs
AB de Villiers (rhb)     37     83     6     0     44.57     14 (20b)     12 (36b)
Dale Steyn (rhb)     0     3     0     0     0.00     0 (3b)     0 (3b)
   
Mat     Runs     HS     Ave
103     7950     278*     51.62
82     1141     76     14.26
Bowlers     O     M     R     W     Econ     0s     4s     6s     This spell
Steven Finn (rfm)     8.0     3     27     3     3.37     37     5     0     2-1-3-1
Moeen Ali (ob)     15.0     3     36     0     2.40     70     5     0     1-1-0-0
   
Mat     Wkts     BBI     Ave
27     107     6/79     27.96
20     58     6/67     37.32
Recent overs

    • 1 1 • 1 •

    • • • • • •

    • • W • • •

Current partnership 0 runs, 0.3 overs, RR: 0.00 (de Villiers 0, Steyn 0)

Last bat F du Plessis c Cook b Finn 9 (103m 66b 1x4 0x6) SR: 13.63

Fall of wicket 136/4 (46.3 ov); Partnership: 48 runs, 23.5 overs, RR: 2.01 (de Villiers 36, du Plessis 9)

Umpire reviews remaining South Africa 2 (0 successful, 0 unsuccessful); England 2 (0 successful, 0 unsuccessful)

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End of over 47 (wicket maiden) South Africa 136/4

        DW Steyn 0 (3b 0x4 0x6)
        AB de Villiers 37 (83b 6x4 0x6)
        ST Finn 8-3-27-3
        MM Ali 15-3-36-0

5.35pm: Another festively plump day of Test match action gets a grandstand finish, with England closing in despite the mandatory AB de Fiance. He is the key man if South Africa are going to get out of this - most likely via grim resistance, even though a chase remains theoretically possible. The target is 280 runs away, while England will have 90 overs to try and get six wickets; Steven Finn looks the most likely of Blockbusters but Moeen Ali will have a big role to play, too. How crucial will Bairstow's miss of de Villiers be? We'll have to wait to find out. Gnasher's report will be in the slot soon and we'll be back for more in the morning. I'll leave you with this, from JT: "Dale didn't bungle it, but the flag of St George is on top. The Rainbow nation will need to bat like Geoffrey to save the game tomorrow." Cheerio

46.6

Finn to Steyn, no run, short and climbing through outside off, another Zippy ball but Dale doesn't Bungle it and he'll be back in the morning - that is stumps, with England a de Villiers from victory (you would think)

Finn runs back to his mark, while Steyn does a bit of gardening... He wants this to be the last ball

46.5

Finn to Steyn, no run, slightly back of a length, defended safely down into the ground

Taylor goes in under the helmet, right in Steyn's eyeline. There's a short leg too

46.4

Finn to Steyn, no run, hammers the ball in on a length, it kicks and hits the splice as Steyn bravely gets into line

In comes Dale Steyn as nightwatchman, despite his injured shoulder... And the umpires have now decided to change the ball, something they had been asked about and declined earlier in the over. Sure Faf will be happy to see that

46.3

Finn to du Plessis, OUT, extra bounce, du Plessis plays... and he's gone, taken at slip! What a breakthrough, brilliant delivery from Finn and Cook does not blink at the chance, England have knocked another brick out of the wall in the dying moments of the day! It was a ripper of a delivery from Finn, coaxing something extra out of the surface, enough to breach du Plessis' barricades at last

F du Plessis c Cook b Finn 9 (103m 66b 1x4 0x6) SR: 13.63
46.2

Finn to du Plessis, no run, comes across and defends on off stump once again

"'I am just wondering, is there not a really good wicketkeeper in England who can bat a bit?' Sarah Taylor." Fair shout, Paul

46.1

Finn to du Plessis, no run, in the channel outside off, left alone

Maybe a couple more overs left in the day... SA sandbagging for the close

End of over 46 (maiden) South Africa 136/3

        AB de Villiers 37 (83b 6x4 0x6)
        F du Plessis 9 (63b 1x4 0x6)
        MM Ali 15-3-36-0
        ST Finn 7-2-27-2

"Just sent a real funny comment and Alan ignored it. Now he will either ignore this one too or say it was not funny at all or both." Just ask yourself, vibhash, was it really funny?

45.6

Ali to de Villiers, no run, tossed up on middle and leg, pushed away with everlasting determination
45.5

Ali to de Villiers, no run, leans out and smothers a full, straight offbreak

Silly point comes in, joining slip, leg slip and short leg

45.4

Ali to de Villiers, no run, straighter, tapped down on to the pitch
45.3

Ali to de Villiers, no run, pushed through outside the line of off, jumps into line and shows it the maker's name
45.2

Ali to de Villiers, no run, more resolute defence from AB
45.1

Ali to de Villiers, no run, tossed up on the stumps, straightening as de Villiers knocks it away on the back foot

End of over 45 (3 runs) South Africa 136/3

        F du Plessis 9 (63b 1x4 0x6)
        AB de Villiers 37 (77b 6x4 0x6)
        ST Finn 7-2-27-2
        SCJ Broad 11-4-25-0

Here's Hypocaust: "There's rarely an England XI announced that doesn't have observers cooing over the batting abilities of the tail, so why not think radically/ultra traditionally and pick a specialist keeper to bat #11? Bates for England!" Sadly, I think he's given up the gig... Although he was briefly on Sky earlier, giving coaching tips to the England U-19s

44.6

Finn to du Plessis, no run, hurled down on off stump, du Plessis watches it all the way and stuns it dead
44.5

Finn to de Villiers, 1 run, straighter line, only 130kph from Finn, nudged into that gap at midwicket again
44.4

Finn to de Villiers, no run, gets into line and bunts the ball down into the off side with immaculately soft hands
44.3

Finn to du Plessis, 1 run, drops back and drops the ball to leg again, this is a much tighter run and de Villiers is scrambling as the throw comes in, needed a direct hit, though
44.2

Finn to de Villiers, 1 run, length ball around off stump, turned off through the leg side for a single
44.1

Finn to de Villiers, no run, charges in and hits the bat hard as de Villiers defends on the back foot

Moeen is off, ruing his luck I should imagine, Steven Finn replacing him

End of over 44 (maiden) South Africa 133/3

        F du Plessis 8 (61b 1x4 0x6)
        AB de Villiers 35 (73b 6x4 0x6)
        SCJ Broad 11-4-25-0
        MM Ali 14-2-36-0

"Alan, Adam Voges is something of a 'museum piece', and his selection this year has worked out pretty well, batting average over 85." Well, mainly because he's duffed up West Indies on several occasions, Phil. Not saying there isn't a place for old dogs - just that England aren't going to select one as wicketkeeper

43.6

Broad to du Plessis, no run, continues to try and mess with the perspective by running in at an angle, hard to discombobulate du Plessis in this sort of mood and he blocks in front of his wicket
43.5

Broad to du Plessis, no run, Broad starts behind the umpire and runs wide before delivering the ball in the channel, du Plessis squints at it and offers no stroke
43.4

Broad to du Plessis, no run, full length, grunt of exertion from Broad as Faf plants the front foot and smells the leather in defence
43.3

Broad to du Plessis, no run, pitched up, props out and dead-bats another
43.2

Broad to du Plessis, no run, gets into line and blocks once more, du Plessis practising his pointillism
43.1

Broad to du Plessis, no run, good length around off stump, punched square

James Taylor is brought in under Faf's nose at silly point

End of over 43 (maiden) South Africa 133/3

        AB de Villiers 35 (73b 6x4 0x6)
        F du Plessis 8 (55b 1x4 0x6)
        MM Ali 14-2-36-0
        SCJ Broad 10-3-25-0

"Bairstow's 'missed stumping' is perhaps the hardest type of stumping chance there is," says Andrew Harries. "Ray Jennings (currently doing SABC commentary) thinks so to....although I'm sure Ray would have taken the chance." I guess he was a little unsighted as the ball drifted across the batsman and then spun the other way... But he had a long time to adjust

42.6

Ali to de Villiers, no run, off-stump line, pushed back down the track - maiden for Moeen, his second of the innings
42.5

Ali to de Villiers, no run, tossed up, reaches out and defended again
42.4

Ali to de Villiers, no run, quicker delivery and de Villiers continues to block
42.3

Ali to de Villiers, no run, half forward, pushes back towards the bowler
42.2

Ali to de Villiers, no run, gets forward and defends
42.1

Ali to de Villiers, no run, stays round the wicket, worked to the leg side from the crease

Commentator: Alan Gardner

Scorer: M Venkat Raghav

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    Faf du Plessis' batting average in nine innings since he last made a fifty in Tests. Has been out four times in single digits including 3 ducks.

  
Hours of play (local time) 10am start, Lunch 12.00-12.40, Tea 14.40-15.00, Close 17.00; Friday: Lunch 12.30-13.30; Tea: 15.30-16.00; Close: 18:00

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Alan Gardner discusses the mounting problems for South Africa after Moeen Ali helped skittle them for 214 and key bowler Dale Steyn picked up an injury | December 28, 2015