England v South Africa fourth Test: Live over-by-over commentary
Fourth Test scoreboard
England win by 177 runs
South Africa 2nd inns: 202 (62.5 overs. Amla 83, du Plessis 61, Maharaj 14*, Bavuma 12; Moeen Ali 5-69, Anderson 3-16, Broad 1-24, Roland-Jones 1-52)
England 2nd inns: 243 (69.1 overs. Moeen Ali 75*, Root 49, Stokes 23, Jennings 18; Morkel 4-41, Olivier 3-38, Rabada 2-50, Maharaj 1-92)
South Africa 1st inns: 226 (72.1 overs. Bavuma 46, Amla 30, du Plessis 27, Kuhn 24, de Kock 24, Rabada 23; Anderson 4-38, Broad 3-46, Moeen Ali 2-57, Roland-Jones 1-41)
England 1st inns: 362 (108.3 overs. Bairstow 99, Stokes 58, Root 52, Cook 46, Westley 29, Malan 18, Jennings 17, Moeen Ali 14; Rabada 4-91, Maharaj 2-58, Olivier 2-91, Morkel 2-92)
Fourth Test commentary
RESULT: England win by 177 runs, and win the series 3-1
Moeen Ali has grabbed both England's and South Africa's second innings by the scruff of the neck to turn things decisively England's way just as it threatened to go slightly wrong. A genuinely outstanding cricketer now, he becomes only the second England cricketer ever to score 250 runs and take 25 wickets in a Test series. The other was Botham in a series that he dominated to such an extent that they literally named it after him. He's the first player ever to do it in a four-match series. Moeen's Basil D'Oliveira Trophy.
WICKET! Olivier c Stokes b Moeen Ali 0
It's Moeen who gets the five-wicket haul instead, Olivier caught at slip first ball. After ending the last Test with three wickets in three balls, it's two in two to polish things off this time.
WICKET! Morkel c Root b Moeen Ali 0
That'll be a no for Jimmy then. Morkel watches Maharaj hit Moeen down the ground for six and fancies a go at it himself. Feeling cocky, he goes for it first ball. Doesn't clear the England captain at mid-off.
Over 62: South Africa 195-8 (Maharaj 14)
Anderson didn't quite manage that five-fer in the first innings; can he get the last two wickets here to put that right?
WICKET! Rabada c Westley b Anderson 1
Anderson comes round the wicket to Rabada, and it takes two balls to do the trick. Flat-footed drive is hit well enough, but it's in the air and Tom Westley, in close at cover, clings on to a smart catch above his head.
Over 61: South Africa 194-7 (Maharaj 13, Rabada 1)
Yeah, I like this from Maharaj. Playing some shots without just being silly. No point just blocking and getting out. Biffs Moeen down the ground for four and then calmly collects a single to long-on from the next ball.
Over 60: South Africa 188-7 (Maharaj 8, Rabada 0)
Nice shot from Maharaj, slapping a short ball from Anderson behind point for four. Anderson responds by going even shorter, but Maharaj ducks underneath it safely enough.
Over 59: South Africa 184-7 (Maharaj 4, Rabada 0)
Moeen deflects a booming straight drive from Maharaj into the stumps, but Rabada had never left his crease in the first place so no danger of a run out. Gets sent upstairs just to be sure. Better safe than sorry. Maharaj got a single for it as well.
Over 58: South Africa 183-7 (Maharaj 3, Rabada 0)
Two batsmen together now who ought to score more runs than they do. Situation here may be futile, but it would be good to see Maharaj and Rabada at least make England work for it. Both capable. For Anderson, meanwhile, that wicket sees his average dip below 28. It's also now better than Sir Ian Botham's.
WICKET! Du Plessis c Bairstow b Anderson 61
Far from the best ball Anderson has bowled today, but it matters not. Short and wide, and du Plessis succeeds only in feathering it through to Bairstow.
Over 57: South Africa 183-6 (du Plessis 61, Maharaj 3)
The dread fear that accompanies the discovery that your father-in-law is reading your daft blog. Don't think I've said anything controversial, but equally it's hardly a great and important endeavour. Evening, Mike. Don't check the Yorkshire score. Just a single from Moeen's first over of the session.
Over 56: South Africa 182-6 (du Plessis 60, Maharaj 3)
Anderson kicks things off in the evening session. Really did bowl outrageously well with the new ball earlier on. Starts well enough here with a maiden over against a watchful Maharaj.
TEA: South Africa, 182-6, require 198 more runs to win
For most of that session it looked like South Africa had a genuine shot at doing something extraordinary. Amla, who had to work so hard just to survive before lunch, took charge and made a mockery of both the conditions and the England attack in compiling 83. He found a willing ally in du Plessis, but when Amla misjudged one from Moeen he opened the door and England have charged through it with Moeen striking two more blows in his next over. England now 1/33 having drifted to 2/7, with South Africa now 25/1. A day-four finish got as big as 10/1, but it's now 2/5 that England will finish things off today.
Over 55: South Africa 182-6 (du Plessis 60, Maharaj 3)
Chance! Inside edge on to pad from Maharaj. Bairstow has no chance of catching the ball at the first attempt, but might have done better to react after it hit him on the chest and bounced to earth. Three singles to complete the over and the session which was, in the end, another really good one for England after the resistance and fightback led by Amla.
Over 54: South Africa 179-6 (du Plessis 59, Maharaj 1)
Faf deciding to try and score 200 runs off the next 100-odd balls. Genuinely might be South Africa's best/only chance, so fair play to him. Clubs four through mid-on and then curtain-rails a defensive shot to gully for a single as Roland-Jones gets one to jag away off the pitch. New batsman Keshav Maharaj makes no contact with a whoosh outside the off stump before squirting a single to deep point. Means he'll be on strike for the final over before tea, which England won't mind.
Over 53: South Africa 173-6 (du Plessis 54)
Faf completed a very good half-century at the start of that over. Kind of got lost in the noise, though. South Africa got as short as 7/2 during that Amla-du Plessis stand. Fifteen minutes later, they're 40/1.
WICKET! De Bruyn c Stokes b Moeen Ali 0
Three wickets in two overs for Moeen just before tea to undo all the hard work Amla and du Plessis had put in. Theunis de Bruyn plays back and edges the ball low to slip, where Stokes makes no mistake.
WICKET! De Kock c Cook b Moeen Ali 1
A disappointing series with the bat for de Kock ends limply (behave yourselves) as he falls into a very obvious trap. Two slips in place, Moeen floating it up outside the off stump, and de Kock obligingly edges a big drive to the second of those two catchers.
F du Plessis 50: 75 balls 7x4
Over 52: South Africa 168-4 (du Plessis 49, de Kock 1)
Good field from Root for Roland-Jones here. With the pitch a bit slow but still a bit up and down, he's got a drive man in close on both sides of the wicket. Faf gets two through midwicket and one to deep square-leg. De Kock gets off the mark with a single to a tumbling Broad's left at mid-off. Mirror-image shot takes du Plessis to 49.
Over 51: South Africa 163-4 (du Plessis 45, de Kock 0)
Quinton de Kock the new batsman, and he's immediately running down the pitch at Moeen...
WICKET! Amla lbw b Moeen Ali 83
Moeen makes the breakthrough. Amla walking across his stumps again, but this time the ball beats the bat and hits him on the pad in front of everything. Dharmasena says no, but Root has little hesitation in seeking a second opinion. Three red lights, and England overturn a second decision in this innings.
Over 50: South Africa 162-3 (Amla 83, du Plessis 44)
First sign of England losing discipline here. Roland-Jones is back into the attack, and du Plessis hits the first ball to mid-off. Anderson misfields initially to allow a single, and then is too casual about tidying up his error and allows the ever-alert du Plessis to scamper back for a cheeky second. Chance! Faf then almost gives it away with a drive in the air back at the bowler, who can't react in time to claim a caught-and-bowled. Four runs the result, with a leg-bye to follow.
Over 49: South Africa 155-3 (Amla 83, du Plessis 38)
Can't lie, batting looking easier right now than at just about any other time in the series. Sun's out, ball's old, pitch has gone quiet. Root and Moeen v Amla and du Plessis barely even looks like the same sport as Anderson and Broad v Elgar and Kuhn. Amla nonchalantly deposits Moeen down the ground for six before each batsman collects an easy single.
Over 48: South Africa 147-3 (Amla 76, du Plessis 37)
Root leaves mid-off open, and du Plessis drives it through there for four. Odd field, but Root can blame nobody but himself as bowler-captain.
Over 47: South Africa 143-3 (Amla 76, du Plessis 33)
Amla steers Moeen behind point for four to bring up the hundred partnership. Just the fourth South Africa have managed in the series. Part of the reason they still look going down 3-1 despite this fine effort.
Over 46: South Africa 139-3 (Amla 72, du Plessis 33)
Root considers all the options available to him, and decides that the best one available is himself. Not the worst over of part-time off-spin from the skipper, varying his pace quite nicely, but everyone knows that part-time leg-spin >>>>> part-time off-spin. That's just the law.
Over 45: South Africa 135-3 (Amla 69, du Plessis 32)
Amla wrongfoots Stokes at slip with a reverse-swepe that brings two. Stokes at slip tried to anticipate where the ball might go and ends running in entirely the wrong direction
Over 44: South Africa 132-3 (Amla 67, du Plessis 31)
Stokes decides to go with a short-ball barrage for a bit. Fair enough, but not that effective. Du Plessis pulls for an easy single, Amla gets up on his tippy-toes to punch through cover for four, and then repeats the shot three balls later. If we're not quite yet at the buy-a-wicket-with-Malan stage, then it's surely getting closer.
Over 43: South Africa 123-3 (Amla 59, du Plessis 30)
Moeen having his first bowl from the James Anderson End. Du Plessis sweeps him for a single - I'd still like to see Moeen just try spearing one ball at leg stump, even if it does come at a risk. Worst-case scenario is that it'll cost four runs. Definitely worth a shot.
Over 42: South Africa 122-3 (Amla 59, du Plessis 29)
Stokes spins around in sweary frustration after spearing one down the legside and seeing Amla just calmly help it on its way to the boundary.
Over 41: South Africa 118-3 (Amla 55, du Plessis 29)
Handsome cover-drive from du Plessis off Broad brings four more and takes the partnership to 78. Faf saving his best for last in the series.
Over 40: South Africa 114-3 (Amla 55, du Plessis 25)
Edge! Full-blooded drive from Amla as Stokes jumps wide on the crease, but the ball keeps low and bounces well short of Cook at slip.
Over 39: South Africa 114-3 (Amla 55, du Plessis 25)
Still just something happening every now and then for the bowlers, Broad this time finding Amla's inside edge. Could have gone into the stumps, instead goes to long-leg for a single.
Over 38: South Africa 111-3 (Amla 52, du Plessis 25)
Du Plessis slightly early on a drive and almost chips a return catch back to Stokes, who is not only bowling but also leading the side as Root has trotted off for a wee. Du Plessis picks up a legside single before Amla also gets early on a drive and picks up a run to mid-off. Might be time to rethink the field. Maybe bowl some cutters and build a Yorkshire wall from cover to midwicket. Talking of midwicket, du Plessis picks up two more with a clip off his pads. Really good partnership, this, and it's seen England drift from 1/20 to 1/7 with South Africa 9/1 from 33/1 to do something remarkable. They're back ahead of the draw (10/1) at least.
Over 37: South Africa 107-3 (Amla 52, du Plessis 22)
Good maiden over from Broad, but Amla looking absolutely rock solid now. England won't be thinking victory is assured until they see the back of this man.
Over 36: South Africa 107-3 (Amla 52, du Plessis 22)
Better second over from Stokes, just one single from it knocked away in trademark style on the legside by Amla.
Over 35: South Africa 106-3 (Amla 51, du Plessis 22)
Du Plessis worried about the ball that keeps low here. Exaggeratedly plays a couple that stay down a bit, but not as dramatically as he ultimately makes it appear with his flamboyant knee-bend. In among that pantomime, he clips one away fine on the legside and collects four. Long-leg positioned really wide here.
Over 34: South Africa 102-3 (Amla 51, du Plessis 18)
That is, in the end, a quite wonderful half-century from Amla. Having battled his way to 12 from 65 balls against some of the best bowling you could wish to see, he has exploded to 51 not out from 100 balls with a flurry of beautiful strokes. The two boundaries that take him to 50 are a sweetly-timed clip off his pads and a pull to fine-leg in Ben Stokes' first over of the innings.
HM Amla 50: 100 balls, 9x4
Over 33: South Africa 94-3 (Amla 43, du Plessis 18)
Broad returns, with Roland-Jones proving expensive. Broad can't slow the flow of runs, though, as a push from Amla brings a single and the 50 partnership before du Plessis plays a glorious straight drive for four. Two class players at the middle helps, but no doubt that things have got easier against the older ball here.
Over 32: South Africa 89-3 (Amla 42, du Plessis 14)
A misfield at cover allows du Plessis a single before one that spins and bounces down the legside gives Bairstow no real chance and scuttles away for four byes. Amla adds another single before du Plessis top-edges a sweep shot but aims it at a safe spot out at deep midwicket and picks up two. Another slightly scruffy over from Moeen.
Over 31: South Africa 81-3 (Amla 41, du Plessis 11)
Amla enjoying himself now. Clips TRJ through the legside for a couple before unfurling another gorgeous, flowing cover-drive for four. Thirty-eight runs from the last six overs; there were 43 from the first 25.
Over 30: South Africa 75-3 (Amla 35, du Plessis 11)
Three singles from Moeen's over. Not bowling quite as well as he has at other times in the series, but the spin and bounce means he's very much in the game.
Over 29: South Africa 72-3 (Amla 33, du Plessis 10)
Du Plessis living dangerously and painfully as he gets a whack on the hip from a short ball and then flays the last ball of the over past gully for four.
Over 28: South Africa 66-3 (Amla 33, du Plessis 4)
Amla is now very much in. Gets another four from a nailed reverse-sweep, which is now very much the only offside shot Amla is considering off the spinner.
Over 27: South Africa 61-3 (Amla 29, du Plessis 3)
Just a short three-over post-lunch burst for Anderson before Roland-Jones is back. His bunny Amla serves notice that he may have got the hang of it now with three glorious drives through point, cover and straight back past the bowler.
Over 26: South Africa 49-3 (Amla 17, du Plessis 3)
Moeen just bowling a touch full in this over. Allows du Plessis to sweep for a single, before Amla gets reverse-sweep past Stokes at slip and picks up four. Too full again from Moeen, and Amla clips off his toes for one.
Over 25: South Africa 43-3 (Amla 12, du Plessis 2)
Anderson getting the ball to talk, but Amla successfully shutting it up as he stonewalls his way to 12 from 64 balls.
Over 24: South Africa 43-3 (Amla 12, du Plessis 2)
Du Plessis getting so far across that he's exposing all three stumps. Has to be a temptation for Moeen to try and dart an arm-ball in at leg stump, but he sticks to his usual attacking off-spinner's line outside off stump. Du Plessis plays out a maiden.
Over 23: South Africa 43-3 (Amla 12, du Plessis 2)
Another nonsense delivery from Anderson. It's one of those 83mph leg-breaks he's been hurling down all day, beating Amla's outside edge and flicking the back leg on its way through to Bairstow. Good decision from Dharmasena, and good non-review from Root. Mainly, though, a great delivery from Anderson.
Over 22: South Africa 42-3 (Amla 12, du Plessis 1)
Du Plessis almost gloves one to short-leg, but it lands just short of Jennings, diving forward. Gets off the mark with a single. Amla then uses all his experience to get away with one. Big lbw shout against Amla, and even though it's hitting middle of middle he's given not out because it's hit him outside the line. However, he has clearly not made any genuine attempt to play the ball, just plonking the bat down somewhere behind his pad a good foot away from the ball. Nothing England can do about it, though, because a third umpire cannot over-rule the standing umpire's judgement on whether a shot has been played.
Over 21: South Africa 41-3 (Amla 12, du Plessis 0)
Anderson straight back into the attack after lunch. Hard lines on Roland-Jones, who got a wicket with his last ball, but probably fair enough. Trampoline bounce from a good length sends the ball thudding painfully into Amla's gloves during another high-quality maiden over.
Over 20: South Africa 41-3 (Amla 12, du Plessis 0)
Amla gets right across his stumps to work Moeen into the legside for a single. Risk attached to that shot, but plays it nicely. Leg-slip comes in for Faf du Plessis' first ball. Good choice, given he's another batsman who likes to get a really long way across his stumps to the off-spinner.
LUNCH: South Africa, 40-3, require 340 more runs to win
Brilliant from England in that session. Broad and Anderson were simply sensational with the new ball and either or both of them could have had three or four wickets without being remotely flattered. Roland-Jones picked up a real bonus wicket just before lunch to round off a fine session for England. Three down, seven to go. England now a prohibitive but accurate 1/20 for victory, with the draw now rated more likely than a South Africa victory. They're 16/1 and 33/1 respectively. Of more interest might be the 11/4 Price Boost that Anderson takes the most wickets in the innings. It's 1/4 that the match finishes today.
Over 19: South Africa 40-3 (Amla 11)
Really was a brave review that from Root. Would've been left with no reviews for 61 overs had that gone wrong.
WICKET! Bavuma c Bairstow b Roland-Jones 12
A wicket for England with the final ball of the session. It's the faintest of edges, to the extent that neither Roland-Jones no Bairstow is sure, and nor too is Dharmasena. Broad, though, is adamant. He runs in from mid-off to plead for a captain to review another bowler's decision, which is novel. Root goes with him and rightly so. There's a spike on UltraEdge, and the stickable Bavuma has to go. England have made a habit of striking right at the end of a session, and they've done it again here.
Over 18: South Africa 40-2 (Amla 11, Bavuma 12)
Bavuma on the sweep again, and hits it well enough out to deep square-leg for a single. Amla ends the over with a gorgeous flick through midwicket. Almost no effort in the shot, but timed well enough to collect four.
Over 17: South Africa 35-2 (Amla 7, Bavuma 11)
Amla gets three for a nice flick off his toes through midwicket. Broad reels it in - outfield painfully slow now. Bavuma tucks one off his hip for another single, before Amla repeats the trick. Roland-Jones bowling perfectly well, but there's just something missing compared to when Anderson and Broad are steaming in. Just a slightly lower intensity to the whole business, and greater confidence in the batsmen's movements. Case in point as Bavuma strides out confidently to defend out to cover and scamper through for a good single.
Over 16: South Africa 29-2 (Amla 3, Bavuma 9)
Moeen into the attack. Immediately, there are signs of big spin from Moeen. Clear that both batsmen are going to counter it with sweeps. Both get singles before Bavuma crunches one straight into Jennings' arm at short-leg. Gets two for it, but it could actually have looped up straight to a fielder on another day. Big appeal for a bat-pad next ball, but it's straight off the pad. Biiiiggg spin, though.
Over 15: South Africa 25-2 (Amla 2, Bavuma 6)
Toby Roland-Jones replaces Anderson. Important to keep the pressure on and, despite giving up a boundary second ball, he does just that. The boundary is from a genuine edge through gully as Roland-Jones jumps wide on the crease to draw the batsman into the shot. Just how he got him in the first innings at The Oval. Solid defensive push brings Bavuma a single, but it's a good start for England's third seamer.
Over 14: South Africa 20-2 (Amla 2, Bavuma 1)
Oohs and aahs as Amla shoulders arms to a Broad in-ducker, but it's pretty safe. Left on length as much as anything, and as long as it's not one of those grubbers we've seen occasionally over the last two days it's always going over the top from there.
Over 13: South Africa 20-2 (Amla 2, Bavuma 1)
The ball's still okay, it turns out. Anderson rips one past Amla's outside edge and again, you wonder how any batsman could possibly lay a bat on what is, in essence, an 83mph leg-break. The last ball of the over balloons off Amla's pad for a leg-bye.
Over 12: South Africa 19-2 (Amla 2, Bavuma 1)
A genuine nonsense of a delivery beats Bavuma outside the off stump. No chance of any batsman anywhere in the world getting bat on this as it spits and snarls, jagging a foot off the seam and missing the shoulder of the bat by a good four inches. Bavuma defends the last ball of the over into the turf and then treads on it to stop it spinning back into the stumps. Not sure the bowlers will be happy about that.
Over 11: South Africa 19-2 (Amla 2, Bavuma 1)
Temba Bavuma has been South Africa's most consistent batsman of the series. Well, consistently good anyway. Kuhn's been pretty consistent as well. He's in at number four, and off the mark with a clip off the hip.
WICKET! Kuhn c Cook b Anderson 11
Kuhn's series-long Gerhardus Liebenberg tribute act comes to an end as a tame fence outside the off stump finds the outside edge, and Cook does the rest at first slip. Nobody is shocked. Plenty better players than Heino have seen c Cook b Anderson go against their name over the last decade.
Over 10: South Africa 18-1 (Kuhn 11, Amla 2)
Good shot but poor running as Kuhn gets two for a firm punch past cover off Broad. Anderson chases the ball down from mid-off, and there really should have been a third run available there. Does get three this time as a drive is punched nicely to mid-off's left. Anderson no doubt thrilled to make those two chases to the boundary during his new-ball spell. Amla off the mark from his 18th ball via a clip off his hip through midwicket.
Over 9: South Africa 11-1 (Kuhn 6, Amla 0)
Anderson's turn to go past Amla's outside edge as he's drawn into playing away from his body. Unlike those that Broad beat him with, that one goes down as batsman error. Didn't need to play at that, and admonishes himself on a short walk to square-leg.
Over 8: South Africa 11-1 (Kuhn 6, Amla 0)
Years from now, the finest scholars in the land will gather and scratch their heads and stroke their beards as they try in vain to work out precisely how Kuhn has survived these first eight overs.
Over 7: South Africa 11-1 (Kuhn 6, Amla 0)
England lose a review after sending a caught-behind appeal against Kuhn upstairs. Brilliant decision from Kumar Dharmasena, to be fair, the ball just beating Kuhn's outside edge and the noise that got England excited caused by the toe of the bat clipping the toe of the boot. A single on the legside gets Kuhn momentarily out of the firing line.
Over 6: South Africa 10-1 (Kuhn 5, Amla 0)
Even the great Hashim Amla finding this tricky. Broad beats him three times in four balls with away movement off the seam. Amla relieved to be able to leave the last ball of another fantastic over.
Over 5: South Africa 10-1 (Kuhn 5, Amla 0)
Kuhn does well in the end to keep a thick edge down and short of Keaton Jennings in that floating fourth-slip position, and manages to negotiate the over safely enough. Blue skies now over Old Trafford.
Over 4: South Africa 10-1 (Kuhn 5, Amla 0)
Hashim Amla calmly plays out the last two balls of the over, predictably enough. Good work from Dawid Malan at a sort of deep short-leg keeps Amla on nought after a clip off the hip looked sure to find its way past the diving fielder.
WICKET! Elgar c Bairstow b Broad 5
Yeah, this is going to be very difficult for South Africa. Second ball of the over leaps at him from a length and thuds into his left bicep. Two balls later, a similar line produces a delivery that jags away from round the wicket and feathers the outside edge on its way through to Bairstow. Anderson and Broad right on it so far in helpful conditions. Broad possibly about to do one of those spells.
Over 3: South Africa 9-0 (Kuhn 4, Elgar 5)
Shot from Elgar, punching Anderson down the ground and collecting four. As much as anything else, any opportunity South Africa get to ruin this ball on the damp outfield should be taken.
Over 2: South Africa 5-0 (Kuhn 4, Elgar 1)
Two slips, gap, fourth slip, gap, gully as Broad steams in to Elgar. The ball is just desperate to find one of those, but first Elgar has to get bat on ball. Broad shapes one away from round the wicket to beat the bat, but Elgar then gets off the mark - and off the pair - with a scampered single for a drop and run to cover.
Over 1: South Africa 4-0 (Kuhn 4, Elgar 0)
James Anderson just too good for Heino Kuhn in this opening over. Kuhn plays and misses three times in the over, managing to edge the ball through fourth slip in amongst it all. Superb over. If we're being hyper-critical, not sure Anderson really needs mid-on and midwicket at the expense of a fourth slip in this situation.
1205: Players back out, in what look like perfect bowling conditions. Gloomy, overcast, damp.
1140: Looks like that heavy but unforecast shower has passed. The Super Sopper begins its job, and play will restart in half-an-hour at 1210 BST. Lunch now at 1330, tea at 1640. Close at... some point tonight. We've lost four overs, so there are 89 left tonight.
1130: The rain is continuing to fall. Pretty heavy, and the big covers now being unfurled across the square and run-ups. Given how wet the outfield got overnight, this might be a slightly longer delay than initially expected. Puddles beginning to form.
1122: Rain Stopped Play
Never trust a Manchester weather forecast. Literally the moment Heino Kuhn, Dean Elgar and the England players cross the boundary rope it starts raining. It's only going to be a quick shower, he said with entirely undue confidence, there's almost nothing on the radar. But it's taken everyone by surprise, including the groundsmen, who take a long time to get the cover out on the pitch. Bit of juice added to the surface there, but it's a mixed blessing for England who face the prospect of bowling with a wet ball later on. Also won't take a lot of rain here to waterlog the outfield. There were puddles on it this morning.
END OF INNINGS: England 243 all out. South Africa need 380 to win
Moeen left stranded for a quite brilliant 75 not out. England have 93 overs and a possible extra half-hour if they want to get the series done today. South Africa have absolutely ages to score these runs.
WICKET! Anderson c de Bruyn b Morkel 2
Couple of cheap but deserved wickets for Morkel to finish his series' work - with the ball at least. Good short ball, and Anderson can only fend it into the hands of de Bruyn at short-leg. England have thrashed another 19 there, so South Africa's target is 380.
Over 69: England 243-9 (Moeen Ali 75, Anderson 2)
Good from Anderson, standing tall and riding the bounce from Rabada to steer the ball to deep point for a single and get Moeen back on strike. He really has picked up where he left off yesterday here, whipping a perfectly decent delivery from Rabada through midwicket and, despite the slow outfield giving the boundary rider hope, collecting four more.
Over 68: England 238-9 (Moeen Ali 71, Anderson 1)
James Anderson pinches the strike with a single from the last ball of Morkel's over. The sort of caper you can only really pull when you have an entire end of the ground named after you. Think it's fair enough for England to just take every run here, to be honest.
WICKET! Broad c de Bruyn b Morkel 5
If any man deserved a cheap caught-cover in this series, it's Morkel. Broad flays at one outside the off stump and slices it off the toe of the bat. Simple catch for Theunis de Bruyn, who looks to have a decent pair of hands on him.
Over 67: England 236-8 (Moeen Ali 70, Broad 5)
Rabada to complete his over that was interrupted by the rain last night. Stuart Broad promptly slashes a drive through point for four. Fair enough. Can argue he should be supporting Moeen, but in these conditions with this lead, I reckon Broad has licence to put his hands through anything full and wide like that. Next ball is a good one, squaring Broad up from back of a length and beating the outside edge. Infuriatingly for South Africa, it flicks off his thigh pad and down to third-man for four leg-byes. A stabbed defensive shot to cover brings a quick single, before Moeen works into the legside and across the slow outfield for three to keep the strike. Perfect result for England from that ball, and they've already added 12 more to their massive advantage in just four balls.
1020: Welcome. First the good news: it's not raining. It has been for most of the night, but it's dry now and play should start on time. The bad news for South Africa there - beyond the obvious - is that the rain will return the outfield to its day-one sluggishness, making their almighty task that little bit tougher still when they come to chase down whatever England set them. Moeen Ali the key man with both bat and ball, one suspects.
South Africa already require a record chase on this ground - albeit historical stats here are of limited use since they rotated the square - and more significantly their highest score of the series. An England win today seems the likeliest outcome if the weather behaves itself. The forecast is pretty reasonable now; we might catch a shower later, but for the most part it should be a bit of sunshine and plenty of cloud cover. In short: even the weather appears to be conspiring against the Proteas. Tomorrow's forecast, though, is filthy, so England will want to wrap this up today if they possibly can.
The improvement in the weather has already moved the odds: England are in to 1/7 from 1/4 at stumps last night, with the draw and South Africa both out to 10/1. Moeen is 9/4 to turn his unbeaten 67 into a century this morning.
Here's yesterday's highlights, when one of the great counter-attacking innings from Moeen Ali was very nearly enough to distract the crowd from a cameraman wearing a walrus mask.
Fourth Test commentary