England ended their triumphant Test tour of South Africa on a rousing high, wrapping up a 191-run win at the Wanderers to clinch the series 3-1.
Joe Root’s team backed the hosts into a corner over the first three days – 465 runs behind and with six entire sessions in front of them – then finished the job by dismissing them for 274.
The Proteas showed some fight, notably in the form of Rassie van der Dussen’s 98, but England’s pace attack was too strong, Mark Wood taking four more wickets for a match haul of nine for 100.
Ben Stokes was also key, breaking open the two biggest stands of the day by dismissing Dean Elgar at the end of the morning session and captain Faf du Plessis just before tea. Du Plessis was earlier seen nudging Jos Buttler with his shoulder and could find the pain of defeat exacerbated by disciplinary action.
Victory at Johannesburg’s vaunted “Bullring” completed a famous hat-trick of wins, following the day five drama in Cape Town and the domination of Port Elizabeth.
It is just the third time since 1979 that England have won three in a row on the road, a feat that escaped Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook entirely but which Root has now achieved twice.
• Vic Marks’s full report will follow shortly
