England win to square series
England, needing just 110 runs to win the fifth test and square the series at 2-2, beat South Africa by nine wickets soon after lunch on day five at The Oval on Monday.
Full Scorecard
Marcus Trescothick, who scored what proved to be a match-winning 219 in the first inings, hit an unbeaten 69 second time around, and Mark Butcher was with him on 20 when the winning runs were hit.
Michael Vaughan was the man out, caught by Mark Boucher off Jacques Kallis for 13 to continue his lean run of form while captain.
South Africa needed to avoid defeat in this game to clinch a first series success in England since 1965, but The Oval has yet again proved to be an unhappy hunting ground for the tourists, after their demolition by Devon Malcolm nine years ago.
They began the day on 185/6 in their second innings with the optimistic intention of batting on well into the afternoon.
They lasted only an hour, however, before being bowled out for 229 after Martin Bicknell took two wickets in two balls to swing the match inexorably England's way.
First Mark Boucher (25) edged an away-swinger through to Alec Stewart behind the stumps, then very next ball, Andrew Hall chipped a Bicknell delivery straight to Ed Smith at short mid-wicket to complete a pair of ducks in the match.
Shaun Pollock weighed in with a few lusty blows, but was caught at point by Graham Thorpe off Steve Harmison for 43 and last man out was Makhaya Ntini, caught at short leg by Smith off Harmison for 1.
Harmison and Bicknell each picked up four wickets for the home side who completed one of the more remarkable comebacks in recent test history.
South Africa, by contrast, were left to rue their inability to nail down the match after being in an ideal position of 362/4 at the close on day one.
Day 4 Report
Day 3 Report
Day 2 Report
Day 1 Report
Teams:
England: Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan (captain), Mark Butcher, Graham Thorpe, Ed Smith, Alec Stewart, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Martin Bicknell, Stephen Harmison, James Anderson.
South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, Gary Kirsten, Jacques Rudolph, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Paul Adams, Makhaya Ntini.
