Ben Stokes stars as South Africa's eight-ball collapse puts England on verge of victory in third Test

Half-centuries from Tom Westley, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow had earlier helped England set a target of 492 before Stokes starred with the ball

Ben Stokes' two wickets in two balls put England in total control (Getty)

Test cricket is a fickle mistress, the most maddening of games, a sport that beguiles and bedevils in equal measure with one bounce of a ball or a single wave of a blade. It is weird and wonderful and impossible to explain to an American and everything so many of us love so unconditionally.

But for every Stuart Broad eight-for and Alastair Cook double there is, every now and again, once in a blue moon, a day where almost nothing of note happens to decide the destiny of a match. And for much of this fourth day of the third Test at the Oval it felt like this was going to be another.

While the scorecard shows half-centuries for Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow and, perhaps most noteworthy of all, Tom Westley and wickets for Ben Stokes and Toby Roland-Jones this game is precisely where it was 24 hours previous: England need wickets and South Africa need to stop them. But then, as it so often does in this game of ours, it all changed. Then came eight balls and three wickets that appear to have handed all the impetus, all the momentum and, in all probability, the match to England.

Stokes' flurry saw the momentum swing firmly in England's favour (Getty)

Hashim Amla was the first to go, sent packing after a sensational slip cordon snaffle from Root off Roland-Jones. Then Quinton de Kock followed him after seeing his furniture splattered all over south London by a Stokes yorker. And then the death knell as, for the second time in the match, skipper Faf du Plessis was trapped in front of all three not playing a shot. As he trudged to the pavilion, serenaded by the sozzled home crowd, the hopes of his side went with him. But it could have all been very different after a day where, in truth, not a great deal changed.


 Roland-Jones got the key wicket of Amla 
 (Getty)

England returned already 252 runs ahead and surely with intentions of putting the game out of sight by lunch. But such was the quality of Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada opening up and Keshav Maharaj in relief the first interval of the day came with just 79 runs added. Keaton Jennings, upon whose shoulders most of the pressure rested overnight, failed to take his chance and his 48, while a significant improvement, you fear won’t be enough to save him when these two sides renew acquaintances in just five days’ time, especially with Mark Stoneman, so impressive on this very ground this season, waiting menacingly in the wings.


 England's bowlers have them on the verge of victory 
 (Getty)

In fairness there wasn’t much he could do – sometimes in Test cricket there’s one with your name on – but after failing to adequately deal with a Rabada snorter his face said it all and you wonder whether he will see Old Trafford next time out. Westley, on the other hand, looks to have an altogether brighter future on this stage and brought up a hard-fought and nuggety maiden Test fifty with an exquisitely-timed flick to the midwicket boundary, a shot that belies the talent that should see him flourish at this level for years to come.


 Bairstow earlier top scored with 63 as England declared on 313-8 
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Despite his efforts it took the departure of the debutant, for 59, stumped, and then Root (50), caught by Morkel, both off the bowling of the quietly impressive Maharaj for the pace to finally pick up. As so often the introduction of Stokes was the fuel the flame needed as England at last advanced the game on. Joined by Bairstow after Dawid Malan, in need of a show after missing out first time round, was trapped by Chris Morris the pair added the impetus England had been longing for all day. Stokes (38) was eventually removed but the lead was now out way beyond 400. But to much puzzlement in the galleries they played on with overs and light ebbing away before Bairstow’s dismissal, after a better than run-a-ball 63, finally saw captain Root wave them in.


 Bairstow's half-century helped England to post a target of 492 
 (Getty)

With the floodlights on and the crowd enthralled the stage was set for Jimmy Anderson, on his birthday, and Broad to do the damage with the new ball. But despite Broad dispatching Heino Kuhn in just the sixth it wasn’t until 16^th and 17^th and eight game-changing balls that the die was irrevocably cast. For his part Dean Elgar battled against the tide manfully, passing 50 after being dropped on nine by Jennings as South Africa closed on 117 with England six wickets away from victory.