Stokes double leaves Proteas reeling

London : Ben Stokes took two wickets in two balls to leave England eyeing victory in the third Test against South Africa at The Oval yesterday.

South Africa were 117 for four at stumps on the fourth day, needing a further 375 runs to reach a colossal target of 492.

One consolation for the Proteas was the fight shown by Dean Elgar (72 not out) and Temba Bavuma (16 not out) who kept England at bay after joining forces with their side in dire trouble at 52 for four.

The 100th Test at The Oval was turning into a personal triumph for Stokes after he laid the platform for England’s dominant position with 112 in a first-innings total of 353.

England captain Joe Root declared his side’s second innings on 313 for eight at Sunday’s tea.

That left South Africa needing to set a new record if they were to achieve an astounding victory, with the most made by any side to win in the fourth innings of a Test the West Indies’ 418 for seven against Australia at St John’s in 2003.

But while any realistic hopes of an improbable win quickly disappeared, a draw is not yet out of reach for South Africa, particularly if Elgar and Bavuma can continue their defiant stand and the bad weather that has plagued this match returns on Monday.

A draw would ensure this see-saw four-match series remained level at 1-1 ahead of next week’s finale at Old Trafford. Stuart Broad got the ball rolling for England after the declaration by uprooting Heino Kuhn’s off stump.

Toby Roland-Jones’s dream debut then continued when, for the second time this Test, he dismissed star batsman Hashim Amla in single figures.

Amla had made just five on Sunday when, trying to withdraw his bat, he saw the ball fly low off the face to Root at second slip.

Replays confirmed the catch and Amla, caught behind off Roland-Jones for six as the Middlesex seamer took five for 57 in the Proteas’ meagre first innings 175, was on his way.

It was a far cry from five years ago at The Oval when Amla, now 34, struck South Africa’s Test-record score of 311 not out. (AFP)