England win pulls South Africa down

England captain Ben Stokes struck twice shortly after tea to pave the way for his side’s series-levelling innings and 85-run win over South Africa inside three days in the second Test at Old Trafford on Saturday.

After all-rounder Stokes had removed well-set batsmen Rassie van der Dussen and Keegan Petersen, the Proteas collapsed against the new ball, losing five wickets for seven runs in 31 balls against the new ball as they slumped to 179 all out. 

England registered a win by an innings and 85 runs to draw level in the series and pull South Africa down from the top of the ICC World Test Championship standings.

Stokes starred with both bat and ball during a player of the match display in Manchester, having made 103 -- his first century as Test skipper -- in England’s 415-9 declared, an innings that also featured wicketkeeper Ben Foakes’s Test-best 113 not out. 

Petersen and Van der Dussen, battling a finger injury that has now ruled him out of next month’s deciding third Test at the Oval, had batted through Saturday’s second session to take World Test Championship leaders South Africa to 141-3 at tea.

But Stokes, who has now won five of his six Tests as full-time captain, ended their 43-over stand while pushing himself hard in a 14-over spell either side of tea as he removed Van der Dussen and Petersen for their interval scores of 41 and 42 respectively.