England vs South Africa: Hosts return the three-day favour to Proteas and level the series 1-1

One apiece, one to play. After humiliation last week at Lord’s by South Africa, England have now returned the favour at Old Trafford, an innings victory for an innings victory – in this series, fourth days and fourth innings are so passé.

South Africa, it has to be said did not make things easy for themselves in this Test, their decision to break up the pace quartet that terrorised England in the first Test, in favour of two spinners – a move that also prompted them to bat first despite the cloudy skies on day one – seemed curious at the time and only aged worse as the match wore on.

The architects of that plan may well point to the increasing amounts of turn as the match progressed, but England would undoubtedly have been delighted about not having to face the giant left-arm stylings of Marco Jansen, whose bat also helped to balance a very lopsided South African batting card.

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