Durban: The Alastair Cook-led England side have outplayed South Africa in the first Test at Kingsmead here on Wednesday and took 1-0 lead in the four-match Test series.
Moeen Ali took three wickets on Wednesday as England made quick work of protecting triumph in the very first Test by bundling out South Africa for 174 before lunch and guarantee a 241-run victory on the last day at Kingsmead.
It was just the 2nd triumph in the opening Test of a series for England in 11 years as South Africa’s status as the top-ranked test nation looked distinctly hollow, extending their variety of successive tests without a win to seven.
England will take an enormous morale increase into the remainder of the four-Test series with a fast turnaround time before the second Test begins in Cape Town on Saturday.
South Africa currently had their backs to the wall at 136 for 4 wickets overnight, chasing after an improbable 416 for a win, and their hopes of survival rested greatly on AB de Villiers however lasted just three balls at the start of the last day and was out on his over night credit rating of 37.
