PORT ELIZABETH - England won the third test on Monday, wrapping up South Africa’s tail on the morning of the last day at St George’s Park to go 2-1 up in the series after a dominant innings and 53-run victory.

England needed four wickets to complete an emphatic triumph and took just 100 minutes to do so, bowling South Africa out for 237 runs despite a record last wicket partnership that offered some belated home resistance.

England scored 499 for nine declared in a mammoth first innings knock, to which South Africa replied with 209 and were forced to follow-on.

South Africa won the first test in Pretoria by 107 runs but the tourists bounced back with a 187-run win in Cape Town in the second test. The last test starts in Johannesburg on Friday.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Catherine Evans) ((mark.gleeson@thomsonreuters.com; +27828257807; Reuters Messaging: mark.gleeson.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))