The England Cricket Team have ended the 3rd day of 4th Test in the driving seat played at the Wanders Stadium, Johannesburg on Sunday.
Starting the 3rd day on 88 for 6, the hosts got off to a worse possible start losing the wicket of Vernon Philander in the very first over by Woakes. Quinton de Kock looked positive with his stroke play along with Dwaine Pretorius who played some lovely strokes. De Kock reached his fifty off 72 balls. Stokes provided the breakthrough for England dismissing Pretorius for 37. Pretorius and de Kock added 79 runs for the 8th wicket. De Kock fell to well made 76. Mark Wood picked his fifth wicket of the innings dismissing Dane Paterson. England bowled out South Africa for 183 runs in the first innings with a lead of 217 runs. The umpire decided to call lunch.
After the lunch break, Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley looked positive with their stroke play. Vernon Philander hobbled off and did not bowl for the rest of innings. Crawley and Sibley survived few moments. Dwaine Pretorius got the breakthrough dismissing Crawley with a beauty. The England openers added 56 runs. Paterson bowled a good delivery to get rid off Denly cheaply. At tea break, the visitors were 86 for 2.
The third session saw a brilliant start by the hosts as Hendricks dismissed Sibley for 44. Ben Stokes came to the crease and hit a quick fire 28 off 24 balls with 6 fours. Hendricks dismissed the dangerous Stokes. Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler could not score many runs as they fell cheaply to Nortje. Sam Curran came to the crease and enjoyed with attacking stroke play and put on 46 runs for the 7th wicket with Root. Hendricks dismissed Curran for a quick fire 35 off 29 balls. Hendricks then dismissed Chris Woakes for 0. Mark Wood and captain Joe Root enjoyed the batting adding 34 runs for the 9th wicket.
England captain Joe Root reached his fifty off 89 balls and was the final batsman to be dismissed for 58. The visitors were bowled out for 248 runs with a massive lead of 465 runs.
England 400 in 98.2 overs ( Joe Root 59, Ollie Pope 56, Stuart Broad 43, Anrich Nortje 5/110) and 248 in 61.3 overs ( Joe Root 58, Beuran Hendricks 5/64) lead South Africa 183 in 68.3 overs (Quinton de Kock 76, Pretorius 37, Dean Elgar 26, Mark Wood 5/46, Chris Woakes 2/38 ) 465 runs.
