South Africa Close to Series Win & No. 1

London: Needing 346 to win the match, draw the series and stay top of the International Cricket Council rankings, England lost Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss, both lbw to Vernon Philander, to close on 16-2.

Earlier, the England bowlers stuck to their task in dismissing South Africa for 351, although Hashim Amla was able to complete his second century of the series.

His dismissal for 121 was the first wicket in a spell of 3-14 from Steven Finn which gave Strauss's men a glimmer of hope.

But JP Duminy and Philander blunted the England revival and manoeuvred South Africa into a position from which it will take something extraordinary to prevent them from moving to the top of the rankings

Brief scores
South Africa 309 (Philander 61, Duminy 61, Finn 4-75) and 351 (Amla 121, Finn 4-60)
England 315 (Bairstow 95, Bell 58, Morkel 4-80, Steyn 4-94) and 16 for 2 (Philander 2-4)
Status England need 330 runs to win

Scores	Upcoming	Results
Australia vs India - 4th Test South Africa vs Pakistan - 1st Test Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan - 1st Test 1st T20I - New Zealand v Sri Lanka - December 28, 06:15 GMT 2nd T20I - New Zealand v Sri Lanka - December 30, 06:15 GMT 3rd ODI - South Africa v Pakistan at Johannesburg Pakistan won by 36 runs (DLS method) 3rd ODI - Zimbabwe v Afghanistan at Harare Afghanistan won by 8 wickets (with 139 balls remaining)

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