Smith Century Settles Series

Resuming on the fourth morning of the third test on 297-6 it was not long before England found themselves in more bother on what turned out to be a sour day for English cricket.

With just the second ball of the day Morne Morkel re-arranged Tim Ambrose's furniture for just 19, prompting the arrival of Ryan Sidebottom at the crease to join Friday's centurion Paul Collingwood. Sidebottom has not been at his best as a bowler but stuck around for a useful enough period with the bat, helping England reach 362-8 and a lead of 279. Yet that was about as good as it got, with James Anderson chopping on to his stumps for just one to gift Jacques Kallis his first wicket of the innings. With Monty Panesar the final man to join Collingwood, the Durham all-rounder decided that haste was required, but only succeed in edging Morkel behind and succumbing for a terrific 135.

All of which meant that South Africa needed 281 to win the match and the series. That they got there with five wickets to spare was down in the most part to a brilliant innings from South African skipper Graeme Smith. The 26-year-old former Somerset batsman helped himself to an unbeaten 154, pulling the winning runs through mid-wicket off the part-time spin of his old rival Kevin Pietersen.

Before all that, hope had been given to England by a series of lbw decisions. The first of those was handed to Neil Mckenzie who became the latest batsmen to fail to pick up Andrew Flintoff's yorker. His departure for 22 left the Proteas on 65-1, still 216 runs away from the finishing line. The next victim was Hashim Amla, falling to Monty Paneser with the score on 78, and when Kallis was hit on the thigh by a high full-toss from Flintoff it provoked an angry reaction from the South African all-rounder, and gave a scrap of belief to England's bowlers.

Smith needed someone to stay with him to take the side to victory, but it proved not to be Aswell Prince who was caught behind by Ambrose off the bowling of Anderson for only two. South Africa were not exactly reeling on 93-4, but they were experiencing something of a wobble. Last to go was AB De Villiers, caught by the resurgent Collingwood off Panesar for 27 to leave the score on 171-5. South Africa needed 110 with five wickets in hand, and in Mark Boucher found the man who would help Smith get his side over the line.

The wicket-keeper had made a useful 40 in his first innings knock, and added 45 in this one as England toiled, the belief visibly draining from their bodies with each passing over, each additional South African run. The victory put the tourists two up with one test match to play, completing their first series win in England since 1965.