Resistance is futile, this was the proof

South Africa wrap up consolation win in double-quick time

A former coach of mine at Northamptonshire used to say, fairly regularly and always with his tongue firmly in his cheek, that a “quick game is a good game”.

Well by that reckoning, South Africa must have enjoyed the final day of the fourth Test in Centurion.

In the small matter – ridiculously small as it turned out – of 13.4 overs, they took England’s remaining seven wickets to wrap up victory by a commanding 280-run margin.

Of course, Kasigo Rabada was the main man, the seamer adding four more wickets to his match tally to end with the excellent figures of 13 for 145.

The man of the match fittingly rounded things off with the wickets of Stuart Broad and James Anderson in successive balls as England were put out of their misery before the first drinks break of the day.

It was tame stuff from the tourists who opted for the gameplan of attack being the most resolute form of defence and found their hypothesis somewhat flawed.

James Taylor was the first to depart, gloving a good lifting delivery from Morne Morkel behind in the third over of the day and his departure opened the floodgates.

Joe Root edged Dane Piedt to slip; Jonny Bairstow, the ball after edging a Rabada no-ball to slip, gave Quinton de Kock another catch, and Ben Stokes recklessly hoisted Morkel to deep square-leg.

It was then left to Rabada, only the third South African to take 13 wickets in a Test after Hugh Tayfield and Makhaya Ntini, to apply the finishing touches as Chris Woakes edged behind. Broad then gave slip-catching practice and Anderson was hit on the right boot.

And that was that, a first Test win in 10 for the home team and a 2-1 series victory for England.

As is usually the case, the final judgments on the respective teams falls between the very white and very black.

England aren’t quite the world-beaters many were quick to claim them as when Broad ran amok in Johannesburg last weekend and South Africa aren’t quite as bad as many proclaimed after The Wanderers collapse.

There are issues – a couple of more productive top-order batsmen for starters – but both have strong seam attacks and spinners who can do a presentable job.

That is a good foundation to work with so any existing doom and gloom among supporters should be taken with a pinch of salt and especially so among those who follow England.

What shouldn’t be forgotten is that a series victory on foreign soil has just been attained and, in the international cricket world of 2016, that is nothing to be sneezed at.

Forthcoming tussles with Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the summer can be negotiated from a stronger position than would have been the case had the result been reversed and the side have more ticks than crosses on the report card.