ENGLAND collapsed to 169 all out as South Africa wrapped up an innings and 74 run victory at The Wanderers to share the four-Test series.
The tourists, who had needed a draw in Johannesburg to pull off an improbable 1-0 success, were beaten just before lunch on the fourth day.
Morne Morkel (four for 59) was the man who at last ensured South Africa would land the ‘knockout blow’ their captain Graeme Smith had been craving.
Morkel took three wickets for no runs in seven balls to put paid to England’s apparent decision to pin all hopes of survival on an ambitious counter-attack.
Paul Collingwood (71), England’s top run-scorer of the series, was the impetus behind an unlikely and short-lived bid for glory. His half-century was laden with ten fours from only 65 balls.
Support, however, was in short supply.
Twice England have clung on for draws in this epic series.
But after starting a cloudy morning 195 runs behind with only seven secondinnings wickets left, it was clear Collingwood was going to try to wrest the momentum back rather than block out time.
He took on the short ball from Morkel and Dale Steyn with a series of upper-cuts and hooks.
His adventure was a startling contrast with the near strokeless policy which saw him bat 66 overs for 40 to salvage the third Test in Cape Town.
In the final Test, he reached the same number of runs from only 44 balls, compared with the 188 he ate up at Newlands.
Kevin Pietersen is going through an almighty struggle to approach his best form.
He did not score a run until the fifth full over of the day and even then it was only a single to fine-leg off Morkel.
Collingwood had made 32 to his partner’s three in the session when Pietersen chased an attempted wide drive on the up off Wayne Parnell and edged behind.
Collingwood’s attacking intent extended to an unwise second run after a fend-off into the leg-side off Steyn, from which a direct hit would have run out Ian Bell for nought.
Collingwood survived a decision review system appeal for lbw from the first ball of Morkel’s second spell from the Corlett Drive End, and another close call when Parnell swung one into his pads.
But Bell fell to a fine delivery from Morkel, edging high to second slip.
Then Matt Prior made a second- ball duck, mis-hooking a lobbed catch to Smith running back from slip, having survived a half-chance to short-leg, off the face of the bat, from his first delivery.
A DRS review proved Stuart Broad had, in fact, gloved Morkel behind down the legside after initially being given not out by Steve Davis.
Graeme Swann survived once in a typically breezy 20, Ashwell Prince unable to complete a diving catch in the gully off Morkel, before Steyn had him edging into the slips.
But even allowing for Collingwood, whose defiance included hitting Steyn for six over long-off, the end was nigh.
When Collingwood pulled the first ball of JP Duminy’s one-over spell to be caught at deep square-leg, it was an anti-climactic conclusion for the Durham all-rounder.
The series finished similarly when Ryan Sidebottomwas bowled slog-sweeping.
Scoreboard
South Africa v England At Johannesburg
Overnight: South Africa 423-7 dec (G C Smith 105, M V Boucher 95, H M Amla 75, A B de Villiers 58). England 180 (D W Steyn 5-51) and 48-3.
England Second Innings K P Pietersen c Boucher b Parnell ......12
P D Collingwood c M Morkel b Duminy 71
I R Bell c Kallis b M Morkel ...................5
M J Prior c Smith b M Morkel ...............0
S C Broad c Boucher b M Morkel ........1
G P Swann c de Villiers b Steyn ..........20
R J Sidebottom b Duminy .................15
J M Anderson not out ........................1
Extras (lb6 w1 nb6 pens 0)......13
Total (42.5 overs) ...................169
Fall: 1-6 2-21 3-48 4-84 5-103 6-103 7- 104 8-134 9-154
Steyn 14-1-64-2. M Morkel 16-5-59-4. Parnell 8-1-17-2. McLaren 3-1-13-0. Duminy 1.5-0-10-2.
South Africa beat England by an innings and 74 runs
HOW THE WICKETS FELL
Kevin Pietersen (c Boucher b Parnell 12) – Slashed loosely away from his body at a ball angled across him and edged to the wicketkeeper.
Ian Bell (c Kallis b Morkel 5) – Fenced tamely at a fierce lifter from Morne Morkel and could only steer the ball to Jacques Kallis at second slip.
Matt Prior (c Smith b Morkel 0) – Having been dropped first ball by short-leg Hashim Amla, the wicketkeeper was caught by Graeme Smith off a wild topedged hook next up to replicate his reckless first-innings dismissal and draw an angry reaction from captain Andrew Strauss.
Stuart Broad (c Boucher b Morkel 1) – Gloved a ball down the leg side to Boucher and was sent on his way after a South African referral - but not before showing unwarranted dissent.
Graeme Swann (c De Villiers b Steyn 20) – A typically breezy cameo was ended by an edge to slip as he attempted to defend an excellent away-swinger from Dale Steyn.
Paul Collingwood (c Morkel b Duminy 71) – Played superbly for the innings’ leading score but heaved the first ball of spinner JP Duminy’s spell to deep square leg where the gangly Morkel took a good low catch.
Ryan Sidebottom (b Duminy 15) – Counter-attacked well in a futile late effort before he was bowled, via a slight touch off his hip, slog-sweeping aggressively at Duminy.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here