England wrap series win over South Africa at a canter

Zak Crawley finished 69 not out, with Alex Lees the only batsman to fall, as the hosts wrapped up a nine-wicket triumph in front of a few thousand spectators at the Kia Oval

The Oval (final day of five): South Africa 118 & 169, England 158 & 130-1 - England won by nine wickets

Scorecard

England wrapped up series victory in subdued circumstances within 26 minutes on Monday morning, to secure a sixth win out of seven in Test cricket in the summer of 2022.

Zak Crawley finished 69 not out, with Alex Lees the only batsman to fall, as the hosts wrapped up a nine-wicket triumph in front of a few thousand spectators at the Kia Oval.

England claimed the series 2-1, following the one-off Test success against India at Edgbaston and a whitewash of New Zealand. It is the first time since 2004 that they have won six Tests in a single summer.

^{South Africa celebrate the wicket of Alex Lees [Getty Images]}

^{Lees was the only wicket to fall on day five [Getty Images]}

South Africa needed something truly miraculous to steal victory, with England returning to the crease on Monday needing just 33 more runs, but the tone was set when Kyle Verreynne dropped Lees from the third ball of the morning, bowled by Kagiso Rabada - a relatively simple chance to his left which the wicketkeeper only got one unconvincing glove to.

Lees edged Marco Jansen over third slip the following over, as the opener went hard early, but he did not survive to see the job home. Rabada, who had caused Lees all sorts of problem from around the wicket the previous evening, pegged the Durham man on the pad and while the appeal was adjuged not out on the field, South Africa successfully overturned it on review. 

It was the only consolation the Proteas would get.

Ollie Pope joined Crawley in the middle and the pair navigated their side to victory before the midday bells could chime, with Crawley fittingly punching to the boundary off the back foot to complete the job.