RSA VS ENG - 2nd Test, England tour of South Africa, 2019-20

There were debates about the future of five days Tests. Now, this shall rest the case. Every over towards the end was like a ticking time bomb. There were tired bodies and souls who just kept on fighting. The fifth day's wearing wicket ensured Philander was undone by the creeping up delivery. 1-1 after the first two Tests. Two more to go and we shall get you all the action as and when it happens. For the moment, this is Kumar Abhisekh Das taking leave on behalf of MS Ramakrishnan, Abhinand Raghavendran and Harish.

Here is a wrap of the five days:

A disciplined South Africa put the England batting line-up under pressure. Ian Bellesque Ollie Pope stealing runs batting with tailenders. Dean Elgar and Rassie van der Dussen trouble England with a gutsy 117-run stand. Poor execution from Elgar and de Kock and South Africa collapse, Anderson bags 28th fifer, while ump Paul Reiffel forgets how no-balls are called. Dom Sibley leads England's response. He makes a grinding 269-ball maiden Test hundred. Stokes goes into T20 mode - England set a target of 438. Elgar shows his stubborn face again, only to be disturbed by a controversial caught behind. Peter Malan delights with dogged defence and technique. Proteas hang in there as they go for the draw, until Faf gifted his wicket. De Kock bats against character for good, but plays a shocking shot straight to hand. Stokes goes into beast mode. Philander's jaw-dropping single-denial. Stokes says I want to bowl at Pretorius and gets him out. Gets Nortje next ball and stuns Philander with a snorter to prove Test cricket is perfectly fit to be played across five days.

Ben Stokes | Player of the Match: I think I came at situations where exactly it wasn't do or die really. Dom put in all hard yards to put us in a winning situation. He is the Man of the Match but unfortunately he is shying away. Full credit to him for playing the way he did. I think full credit to everyone who played this week. We have got three members in this group who are 21 years old and had to step at the biggest stage. Sam Curran, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope. They showed how good they are. The future looks great for us. I think it had gone over him (the catch from Zak Crawley) but then I saw the slips trying to take the rebound. It makes things very interesting. That is why five days cricket should always be around. It is the best format of the game. Games like these are unforgettable. We will remember this for long and so will South Africa.

Joe Root | England captain: It was a fantastic victory. Brilliant show from the team. South Africa made it really difficult for us. We have an unbelievable 12th man - the crowd have been outstanding. For a young group of players to be involved in a Test match like this and learn and be on the right side of the result is a great opportunity. The way Jimmy bowled in the first innings was outstanding. Sam Curran did his bit too. And you have Stokes, who can turn it around. I can't take credit for that (field set). It must go to Stuart (Broad). He put that leg slip in and and got the wicket. Stokes plays 100% for the team. To keep running in and bowl like that at that time of the game is outstanding.

Faf du Plessis | South Africa captain: What an advertisement for Test cricket. We fought hard, for five days, unfortunately we ended up on the losing side. In a big series like this, you want two teams to bash it out for five days. Onto the next one now. Peter Malan knows his game really well. Technically really sound. He stepped up. We have shown we have another opener who can play Test cricket. This is a step in the right direction with a young batting line up showing character. The conditions are different from game to game. You have to adapt. We have a break now and then regroup and improve as we walk out on the field.

Vernon Philander walking around the ground to thank the supporters on what will be his final appearance at Newlands.

QDK: I think the boys fought really really hard. They also kept fighting till the very end. We tried to push them as far as we can. It was hot and sunny today. Me and Rassie had a good partneship. But unfortunately my shot went straight to the fielder. I am going to go and put my feet up and not think much about the game. That I feel should help. We will miss the big Vern. I am sure the Newlands crowd will miss him as well.

Sibley: Amazing win. Amazing atmosphere. Just after Tea we went a bit flat and obviously Stokes turned up a produced a great spell. To get the win and to contribute is an amazing feeling.

Crawley: This is an unbelievable game. The best cricket game I have played so far. It felt like a home game for us with so many people in. I tried to get my hand at it first because it came so quickly, luckily was able to grab the rebound.

Broad: The crowd has been exceptional today. Incredible discipline from South Africa, but we kept saying one bit of magic, set some funky fields and we can apply pressure. We just thought of having a leg slip to bring the edge into play, I missed my line by about three foot but ended up taking the wicket. Stokes was outstanding. You pray for clouds in England, you pray for sunshine in South Africa for the cracks to come into play.

17:10 Local Time, 15:10 GMT, 20:40 IST: Stokes's Test! The omnipotent Stokes just continues to extend his legends. Umpteen Odes to this man's tenacity and talent will fall short. He was fighting fatigue and an unresponsive pitch. But six catches, a quick-fire 72 and now three wickets towards the end. This man writes his own inimitable scripts. SA can hold their heads high though. They dragged England to the very brink. They almost got a stalemate only to be checkmated by Ben Stokes. One bad move from Philander of denying the single towards the end had Pretorius facing Stokes, who was breathing fire. Now, take your minds back to that 47-ball 72 from Stokes. That gave England cushion of runs and time. Both the teams fought a tooth and nail battle for different results and in the end, it was England who have come out on top. The fight for survival in the end fell short in comparison to the zeal for a win. Hang on for the presentations.

Stokes to Philander, out Caught by Ollie Pope!! England win by 189 runs and win at Cape Town after 63 years. Stokes fittingly has brought about the end as well. 2019 belonged to this man. The start of 2020 also promises of things to come from this man. That was a brute of a delivery which landed on a back of a length spot and took the glove of the batter to be caught at fifth slip. Philander c Ollie Pope b Stokes 8(51) [4s-2]

Stokes to Philander, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Stokes to Philander, no run, the ball gets some lift outside off but that was away from the batter and hence Philander could leave it alone quite easily

Stokes to Philander, no run, sucker delivery outside off and Philander lifts his bat and lets it go. He won't mind anything outside off which can be left alone

Stokes to Philander, no run, back of a length delivery and has been fenced out off the back foot. 53 more to go...

The reverse countdown has started. 54 balls to go and most likely it should be the pair of Stokes and Bess who will continue till the end if SA can last that long.

Dom Bess to Rabada, no run, pushes the batter on the back foot who looks to poke at it and misses. 9 overs to go

Dom Bess to Rabada, 2 runs, drives and gets it into the covers for a couple. That was too full and Rabada was able to put it away

Dom Bess to Rabada, no run, quicker at the sticks and blocked out off the front foot