England’s seamers exploited the exaggerated swing and seam at The Oval to reduce South Africa to 146 for seven in their second innings at tea on day four of the third and final test, a lead of 106 following an extraordinary five sessions in the game.
Twenty-seven wickets have fallen since Saturday morning after day one of the test was washed out by rain and the second cancelled as a mark of respect following the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth.
Kyle Verreynne was on eight not out and Keshav Maharaj yet to face a ball as South Africa desperately seek a lead they can defend, with anything over 180 to challenge England in these bowling conditions.
Jansen earlier took a career best 5-35 as the visitors bowled England out for 158, picking up their last three wickets inside the first 13 minutes of play for the addition of four runs.
They made a good start to their second innings as well, reaching 58 without loss and a lead of 18 before England struck. After that the wickets fell at regular intervals. Sarel Erwee edged home captain Ben Stokes to Joe Root at first slip before England claimed the big wicket of Dean Elgar in somewhat bizarre circumstances.
He missed a booming in swinger from Stuart Broad and walked almost before umpire Nitin Menon raised the finger, only for replays to show the ball was missing leg stump by around five centimeters.
It was an error of judgement from the captain and started a rush of wickets.
Keegan Petersen was picked up by Ollie Pope at third slip off James Anderson, before Ryan Rickelton was trapped plumb lbw by Broad.
Ollie Robinson came into the attack and got the ball to move both ways, forcing Wiaan Mulder to play onto his stumps and claiming an lbw to remove Khaya Zondo. Stokes picked up the wicket of in-form Jansen with the last ball before tea.
The final session on Sunday will likely decide the course of the match, with England looking to mop up the South Africa tail, and the visitors hoping to put pressure back on their hosts with the bat.
The series is poised at 1-1 after both teams won by an innings inside three days in the two previous games.
