Captain Ben Stokes believes England have got their mojo back after mauling South Africa at Old Trafford.
His reign as skipper and Brendon McCullum's time as coach began in dazzling fashion with a 3-0 series sweep against New Zealand in June, followed by victory over India at Edgbaston.
Yet England were rocked by a Lord's thumping by South Africa last week, when the Proteas pacemen showed they had the skills to counter the home side's attacking approach.
That match was over inside three days, but so was the rematch in Manchester as England took their revenge, Stokes and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes hitting first-innings centuries to pave the way for victory by an innings and 85 runs.
James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson and Stokes himself impressed with the ball as England's attack outshone the tourists' pace squadron, halting South Africa's four-match Test winning streak.
This was an England display that Stokes described as "amazing", and he wants more of the same in the decider at The Oval, starting on September 8.
He told Sky Sports at the post-match presentation: "To come back from disappointment at Lord's and to put in the performance we have this week, it's given us a lot of confidence back and sets the series up nicely for the last game at The Oval."
Stokes was named player of the match after his 103 with the bat and match bowling figures of 4-47, but the all-rounder felt there was a more worthy recipient: Foakes.
"He should be the one up here receiving this award," Stokes said. "The innings that he played and the way he kept this whole game, and through the whole summer, has just been incredible.
"He took seven dismissals as a keeper, but how tidy he is behind the stumps is a massive plus as a team. It's great as a bowler knowing you've got him there, and as a captain as well."
England have now lost only one of their 10 men's Tests against South Africa at Old Trafford (W5, D4), with exception being a three-wicket loss in July 1955.
Stokes said the recalled Robinson showed he was "a quality, quality bowler", and he suggested England's positivity, seemingly back in plentiful supply, should continue to serve them well.
"This is another progression for us," Stokes said. "When you have that clear mindset and that intent to go out and score, it can make things a lot easier."
It was a tough day for South Africa and their captain Dean Elgar, who will be without batter Rassie van der Dussen for the series decider because of a broken left index finger.
Elgar said: "I think there's a lot of learnings out of this. I always try and see a positive even though the result didn't go our way.
"We've got quite a few days before the next Test so I'm sure we're going to go back to the drawing board."
Elgar said luck had been on England's side at times in the contest, and now South Africa will head to London without Van der Dussen at their disposal.
The 33-year-old Van der Dussen made an obdurate 41 to defy England during the afternoon on Saturday, but once Stokes removed him to leave South Africa on 141-4, it was downhill all the way to 179 all out.
"From what I've heard he's obviously got a fracture in his finger," Elgar said. "I'm not a medical doctor, but I do think he's going to be ruled out of this series, which is extremely unfortunate, especially with the way he played today."
That assumption was confirmed by Cricket South Africa, a sore ending to a rough day for the tourists.
New Zealand seal historic Test sweep of India
India were whitewashed in a three-match home Test series for the very first time as New Zealand sealed a 25-run victory in the final match at Wankhede on Sunday.
Having given themselves hope of avoiding a 3-0 defeat on day two, India found themselves chasing 145 for victory on a difficult pitch after Ravindra Jadeja had Ajaz Patel (8) caught by Akash Deep.
However, Rishabh Pant’s fine 64 off 57 balls was not enough for the hosts as the wickets tumbled around him, Patel scalping six in the second India innings to take his tally for the match to 11.
India lost four within the first eight overs with Patel taking two, sending stumps flying to account for Shubman Gill then having Sarfaraz Khan caught for one run apiece.
The Mumbai-born seamer finally got Pant’s all-important wicket 22 overs in following a successful review from Tom Latham, and India never looked likely to complete the chase from there.
Glenn Phillips got in on the act with two wickets in two balls to dismiss Ravinchandran Ashwin (8) and Akash (0) before Patel finished things off when his spin ball beat the attempted sweep of Washington Sundar (12).
Data Debrief: Black Caps make history
This is the first time India have lost a Test series 3-0 on home soil in their history, and the first time they have lost three red-ball matches in any single home series since 1983.
They were last blanked on their own turf in the format in a two-match series versus South Africa in 2000.
It is also the first time New Zealand have ever won three Tests in a single series, while Patel now has 25 wickets in two Tests at the Wankhede Stadium – the most by any visiting bowler at a single venue versus India.
Late collapse puts India on the back foot against New Zealand
Ravindra Jadeja took a five-for but New Zealand hit back with some late wickets of their own against India on Friday.
India looked in complete control at 78-1 in the penultimate over of the first day of the third Test in Mumbai, having bowled New Zealand out for 235.
Jadeja, who bowled 22 unchanged overs, was in sensational form with the ball, taking 5-65.
Able support arrived from the excellent Washington Sundar, who finished with figures of 4-81. His haul included the wicket of Daryl Mitchell (82), who was the only New Zealand batter to really make a dent.
Rohit Sharma's dismissal for 18 in the seventh over did not derail a positive start to India's chase, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (30) and Shubman Gill (31 not out) looking steady at the crease.
However, Jaiswal was bowled by Ajaz Patel (2-33) in the 18th over, with Mohammed Siraj pinned lbw from the very next ball.
Patel was unable to complete his hat-trick, but Virat Kohli was run out for four in the next over as New Zealand rallied, and the tourists now have plenty of momentum heading into day two.
Data Debrief: Three of a kind
India have won their last three Tests at Wankhede Stadium, including a 372-run win over New Zealand in their last match at the venue (3 December 2021), after not registering a win in three matches prior to that span (D1 L2).
And they looked well placed to push on and continue that run as they looked to avoid slipping to a third defeat of the series.
They last lost three successive Tests on home soil back in the 1970s, when they faced England, but their late capitulation has left them vulnerable to matching that.
South Africa bowlers earn dominant victory over Bangladesh
South Africa wrapped up the second Test against Bangladesh inside three days by hammering their hosts by an innings and 273 runs in Chattogram.
The victory made it a 2-0 clean sweep in the series for the tourists, who had started the third day in a great spot having left Bangladesh 38-4 in their first innings at stumps on Wednesday.
The Proteas tore through the Bangladesh middle order before bowling them all out for 159 in their first innings.
Seamer Kagiso Rabada, on the way to a five-for, got the ball rolling with the dismissal of captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (nine) before Mushfiqur Rahim was caught by Tony de Zorzi off Dane Paterson for a duck.
Wickets continued to fall in quick succession, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (one) and Mahidul Islam Ankon (zero) both dismissed by Rabada to leave Bangladesh 48-8. Despite a late rally, they were all out for 159 and South Africa enforced the follow-on to good effect.
Bangladesh made another poor start to their innings, losing Mahmudul Hasan Joy (11), Shadman Islam (six), Zakir Hasan (seven) and Mominul Haque (zero) for just 43 runs, as Keshav Maharaj (5-59) and Senuran Muthusamy leading South Africa's charge to victory.
Data Debrief: Bangladesh's dismal home form rolls on
This defeat was Bangladesh's fifth Test loss in a row at home, which equals their worst run since October 2011 and November 2012.
But the third day of this test was all about South Africa's bowlers, who took 16 wickets in total.
Rabada was first to take a five-for in the first innings, but was later joined by Maharaj. Senuran Muthasamy, meanwhile, took career-best figures of 4-45 in the second innings.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
