A vital late wicket from the excellent Steven Finn left England needing six wickets on the final day to win the first Test 3.37pm GMTThat has the feel of a match-winning breakthrough from Steven Finn – not quite as dramatic as Merv Hughes bowling Mike Gatting off the last ball at Old Trafford in 1993,but not far off. South Africa have a vulnerable lower middle-order, and with du Plessis gone it is tough to see who can hang around long enough to benefit AB de Villiers secure a draw or a miraculous win. This would probably be England’s most unlikely in the opening match of an overseas series since the miracle of Jamaica 26 years ago. They are six wickets absent. One way or another, or tomorrow will be memorable. I’ll be watching it at home in my undercrackers,but please join John Ashdown and Nick Miller from 7.30am. delighted new year! 3.30pm GMT46th over: South Africa 136-4 (target: 416; de Villiers 37, Steyn 0) Dale Steyn is the nightwatchman, and will have three balls to outlive before the close. Finn has three for 27 from eight overs and has been superb. His Test strike rate is the best of any England bowler with 50 wickets or more since the considerable Frank Tyson in the 1950s. I know that is partly because life and Test cricket hasten pretty swiftly these days,but it also reflects his wonderful habit of taking wickets.
Steyn just about survives the over, although the last ball beat the outside edge, and that’s the finish of another terrific day’s play.
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Source: theguardian.com