South Africa levels series with big win in second Test

Set a world-record target of 474 in a match dominated by the tourists from the start of day two, England never got going despite perfect conditions and was bowled out before tea for 133. 

After falling well short by their own admission of required standards in the first innings too, Joe Root’s team had lost all 20 wickets in 96.1 overs as South Africa emphatically levelled the four-match series at 1-1. 

Vernon Philander (three for 24) made two early breakthroughs - and after Chris Morris then removed both captain Root and his predecessor Alastair Cook, realistic hopes of seriously extending South Africa were already fading fast on 79 for four at lunch.

Their descent to defeat was in unstoppable mode, but it was still mildly surprising that they continued to subside so quickly in an error-strewn afternoon as Keshav Maharaj (three for 42) took his match haul to six wickets. 

England’s two out-of-form left-handers Keaton Jennings and Gary Ballance had proved no match for Philander, who saw them off with the new ball for a combined seven runs. 

Jennings left a big gap between bat and pad, pushing forward, and lost his off-stump; then Ballance succumbed lbw when Philander’s review, after an initial not-out decision, demonstrated the ball pitched on leg-stump and straightened enough off the pitch to hit it.