Jamaica Gleaner
Published: Monday | January 18, 2010
Home : Sport
South Africa level series
JOHANNESBURG (AP):

Fast bowler Morne Morkel took three wickets in seven balls yesterday to lead South Africa to victory over England by an innings and 74 runs and level the series at 1-1 in the fourth and final Test.

Morkel removed Ian Bell, Matt Prior and Stuart Broad in the first session on the fourth day at Wanderers Stadium to run through the middle order, as the Proteas dismissed England for 169 to retain the Basil D'Oliveira Trophy from the 2008 series win.

Morkel finished with 4-59 and had seven wickets for the match like Dale Steyn, who claimed 5-51 in the first innings as England were bowled out for 180.

"Morne has risen to the occasion," Steyn said. "Without Makhaya Ntini here, he has stepped up to the plate and delivered."

Paul Collingwood was the only England batsman to shine in the Test, making 71 yesterday to add to his 47 in the first innings. He totalled 344 runs in the series, the third best in the series behind South Africa's Graeme Smith (427) and Hashim Amla (363).

England had held on for draws in the first Test at Pretoria and the third match at Cape Town with last-wicket stands, winning the second Test in Durban by an innings.

South Africa captain Graeme, who scored 105 on Friday, praised the fortitude of the visitors throughout the series.

Resilient performances

"Credit to England and their captain Andrew Strauss for their resilient performances and for the way they played in Durban," Smith said. "It's been a little bit up and down this summer but the fans have stood behind us, which has been great to see."

England resumed their second innings on 48-3, still needing to score 195 runs to make South Africa bat again.

In the first hour of play, England doubled their score to 96 but lost the wicket of Kevin Pietersen. The South African-born Pietersen had been subdued in moving from his overnight score of 9 to 12 before being caught behind driving at a wide ball from debutant paceman Wayne Parnell in the ninth over of the day.

Pietersen's departure brought together Collingwood and Ian Bell, who together had put on a match-saving stand in the third Test at Newlands. But Bell on five could not keep a lifting ball from Morkel down and it flew to Jacques Kallis at second slip.

England was in trouble on 103-5. Two balls later it got worse when wicketkeeper Matt Prior was out for a duck after an ill-advised hook shot off Morkel that he top-edged for Smith to take a well-judged catch running back from first slip.

Morkel could not be mastered by the England batsmen. In his next over, he got Stuart Broad to glove a ball down leg to be caught behind by Mark Boucher for one.

J. P. Duminy ended the innings by taking the wickets of Collingwood and Ryan Sidebottom for 15 to finish with 2-10.

Parnell took 2-17 and Steyn finished with 2-64.

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