England’s Moeen Ali celebrates his half century on the third day of the fourth Test match between England and South Africa at Old Trafford in Manchester yesterday.
Manchester: Moeen Ali’s dashing fifty all but put the fourth Test beyond South Africa’s reach as England moved towards a series win at Old Trafford yesterday.
When rain ended the third’s play at 1615 GMT, England were 224 for eight in their second innings -- a lead of 360 runs -- with Ali unbeaten on 67.
South Africa already needed to set a new ground record if they were to end this four-match series all square at 2-2 as no side have made more in the fourth innings of a Test at Old Trafford to win than England’s 294 for four against New Zealand in 2008. Ali made South Africa pay for Dean Elgar dropping him on 15 when a low slip chance off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj did not stick. He may come in at No 8 for England but off-spinner Ali -- who earlier in this match took 20 wickets in a Test series for the first time in his career -- made his name with Worcestershire as a top-order batsman.
Ali, who bats left-handed, was especially severe on Maharaj, hitting him for three resounding sixes.
The second of those, a straight drive that saw Ali complete a 49-ball fifty -- was ‘caught’ on the England dressing-room balcony by wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow to the delight of the crowd.
England are bidding for a first home Test series win over South Africa since 1998.
