England openers Alex Lees and Zak Crawley have give their team the perfect platform to win the third Test against SA. Picture: Clive Rose/Getty Images
England had to score just 33 more runs on Monday to win the third and final Test and the series against South Africa at the Oval.
When bad light stopped play on Sunday evening, England were 97 without loss, chasing 130 to win.
Openers Zak Crawley (57*) and Alex Lees (32*) gave their team a great start on Sunday evening after England bowled out South Africa in their second innings for 169.
South Africa scored 118 in their first innings, followed by England getting 158.
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England began the penultimate day on 154/7 and Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen were lethal in wrapping up the innings in just 16 balls on the fourth day, bowling the hosts out for just 158.
Jansen finished with 5/35 in 12.2 overs, his maiden five-wicket haul in his seventh Test, while Rabada bounced back really well from his dreadful start on the third day, taking 4/81 in 13 overs, after his first eight overs were wicketless and cost 63 runs.
South Africa’s second innings started well with Elgar (36) and Sarel Erwee (26) putting on more than 50 for the opening partnership, but once they were dismissed and Keegan Petersen fell for 23, the Proteas were quickly in trouble. They were all out for 169, leaving England with a getable target to win the match.
Read more: England rookie Brook to replace Bairstow for series-decider against Proteas
Also read: ‘Time to step up and get big scores,’ says Petersen about Proteas’ batters
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