Third LV= Insurance Test, The Kia Oval (day five of five) |
South Africa 118 (Robinson 5-49, Broad 4-41) & 169 (Stokes 3-39, Broad 3-45) |
England 158 (Pope 67, Jansen 5-35) & 130-1 (Crawley 69*) |
England won by nine wickets; win series 2-1 |
Scorecard |
England completed their remarkable summer with a series win over South Africa.
On the fifth morning of the third and deciding Test, the home side needed only 25 minutes to score 33 runs.
Alex Lees was lbw to Kagiso Rabada for 39 and Zak Crawley was not out at 69 not out.
After the first day of play was washed out, the second day was canceled as a mark of respect for the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
England's previous run of one win in 17 was a complete reversal of their previous run of six wins from seven.
The last time England won more than five Tests in a home summer was in 2004.
South Africa missed out on the chance to return to the top of the table in the World Test Championship, where they are competing with Australia, India and Pakistan for a place in the final The loss ends the run of four straight victories for the South Africans.
An almost entirely different England squad now turns its attention to preparations for the T20 World Cup in Australia in October, with a seven- match series in Pakistan beginning on 20 September
Pakistan and New Zealand will host England's winter Test matches.
On Sunday evening, England were chasing after a full house only to be stopped by bad light.
The cricket continued even though those that took up the offer of free admission were not present. The fastest hundred opening partnership in England's Test history was reached from 17 overs.
Lees was dropped by Kyle Verreynne off the bowling of Rabada from the next ball and in the following over the left-handed Lees was dismissed for a duck.
Rabada finally pinned Lees with one that nipped back and brought in Pope to try an audacious reverse scoop that resulted in a helmet blow and a concussion test.
It was left to Crawley to hit the winning boundary and repay the faith shown in him by the two men.
His highest home Test score was against Pakistan in 2020.
The series ended with a punch to the cover boundary by Crawley.
It is the shortest series of three matches not to end in a draw since the 1886 Ashes.
England's fortunes have been reversed through a combination of faith in the players, a commitment to aggressive cricket, and a relaxed environment around the team.
More than luck was needed to beat the caliber of opponents put in their path after some key moments of fortune fell their way.
England beat the world's top ranked team, New Zealand, and also beat the top ranked team, South Africa, in the Test Championship.
A squad for the Pakistan series could be chosen by the end of the month, possibly overseen by a new national selector.
Bairstow had surgery on his broken leg on Monday and may not be able to play in England's tour of New Zealand.
Stuart Broad may not play in the Pakistan tour because he is expecting a child in the autumn.
Liam Livingstone could provide an all-round option, as he played for the England Lions against South Africa.