England clinch Test series win in South Africa after strolling to Johannesburg win

Joe Root clinches his first bilateral series win as skipper since 2018 as The Proteas wilt on day four at The Wanderers

Scorecard

Johannesburg: (fourth day of five): England 400 & 248, South Africa 183 and 274 - England won by 191 runs

England completed a regulation victory over South Africa at The Wanderers to clinch their first bilateral Test series success for 14 months.

Set an improbable 466 to square the series, The Proteas' batting line-up melted away in the Johannesburg sun on day four.

Rassie van der Dussen combined resilience with panache but when he fell for 98, two short of a maiden century, it sparked a quick collapse either side of tea.

Quinton de Kock produced another enterprising innings and Faf du Plessis, in perhaps his final appearance as captain, showed plenty of character. The match was Vernon Philander's last as a Test player before he joins Somerset but he couldn't inspire the perfect send-off.

The display of resilience on an increasingly flat pitch was a case of too little, too late as South Africa - who have now lost successive home Test series for the first time in their history - were eventually dismissed for 274, giving the tourists a victory by 192 runs.

Will Faf be the latest to fall foul of the match referee? TEST MATCH TALKING POINTS

The 3-1 victory for England relieves the pressure on captain Joe Root, who came into the tour without a multi-Test series win to his name since Sri Lanka in 2018.

Defeat in West Indies and New Zealand either side of the failure to reclaim the Ashes from Australia had seen scrutiny over his future grow.

But he has answered many of those questions due to his acute management of a side which combines youthful exuberance and figures of huge experience.

An alternative future beckons for opposite number Du Plessis, whose days as skipper of the team are surely coming to an end.

His side have been on the back-foot in the series since losing in the final session of the second Test in Cape Town.

The momentum continued to be England's favour after Root won the toss on a truncated opening day - it was Du Plessis' seventh lost toss in a row - and choose to bat.

^{The ever-popular Mark Wood was key for England again}

Half-centuries from Zak Crawley, Root and Ollie Pope gave the visitors a solid start, but a late onslaught from Mark Wood (35 not out) and Stuart Broad (43) helped them to 400 all out.

South Africa offered wafer-thin resistance in reply, being reduced to 93 for 7 before eventually being bowled out for 183.

Root opted to pile on the pressure and sent his cohorts back out to build their advantage, with the skipper reaching another fifty.

Set a world-record 466 to win, Wood - who had claimed a five-for in the first innings - came to the fore again and finished with career-best figures of 9-100.

Rassie van der Dussen and Du Plessis did hold England up in the afternoon but once they were dismissed just prior to tea, it offered a pathway to victory.

Subscribe to The Cricketer for exclusive content every day: The inside track on England's Test tour with George Dobell in Pakistan, award-winning analysis, breaking news and interviews and the only place for in-depth county coverage all year round. Plus: An ad-free app experience at your fingertips. Subscribe to thecricketer.com today for just £1.