Moeen Ali's five-wicket haul helped England beat South Africa by 177 runs in the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Monday to seal a 3-1 series win. Victory, achieved with more than a day to spare, also saw Joe Root triumphant in his first Test series as England captain. South Africa, set a huge 380 for victory, were bowled out for 202 shortly after tea on the fourth day when Ali took two wickets in two balls to remove Morne Morkel and Duanne Olivier. That gave Ali a return of five for 69 in 19.5 overs and 25 wickets in total in a series where he also scored 252 runs.
This result meant England had won their first home Test series against South Africa since 1998. It was also just South Africa's second defeat in 20 away Test series, their other overseas campaign reverse in that sequence coming against India in 2015-16. South Africa, 43 for three at lunch, saw Hashim Amla (83) and captain Fafdu Plessis (61) put on 123 for the fourth wicket. But Ali then took three wickets for five runs in 11 balls - including the prize scalp of Amla - as the Proteas collapsed from 163 for three to 173 for six.
Earlier, Ali made 75 not out off just 66 balls in England's second innings score of 243, having been dropped on 15. That left South Africa facing a mammoth chase, with no side having made more to win in the fourth innings of a Test at Old Trafford than England's 294 for four against New Zealand in 2008.
South Africa lost both openers, leaving them at 18 for two. Dean Elgar, who made a gritty second-innings hundred in England's 239-run victory in the third Test at The Oval, fell for five when caught behind off Stuart Broad. Temba Bavuma again battled hard until, from the last ball before lunch, he was given out caught behind on review off Toby Roland-Jones. Amla completed a 100-ball fifty with his ninth four. No replays were required when Quinton de Kock (one) edged a drive off Ali to Alastair Cook in the slips. And 173 for five became 173 for six when Theunis de Bruyn fell for a duck, nicking Ali to slip fielder Stokes. The end came quickly for South Africa, 182 for six at tea.
Du Plessis had added just one to his tea score when he was caught behind off Anderson. Anderson, who finished with three for 16, then had Kagiso Rabada caught in the covers. Ali, appropriately, finished the match with Morkel holing out for a duck before Olivier, also out for nought, was taken by Stokes at slip.
