Summary

  • Intelligent batting from Beaumont & Jones steers England to series win - match report

  • England chase DLS-revised 153 with four overs to spare

  • Wolvaardt top-scores for SA with 61 off 68

  • Capsey, Dean & Ecclestone all take two wickets each

  • Cross suffers back spasm in first over

  • Four-day Test starts on Sunday

Live Reporting

by Tom Mallows, Ffion Wynne & Sam Drury

  1. Some activity - the umpires are going to have a look at the outfield.

  2. Bit of an update regarding the actual cricket:

    The players need to be back out in the middle by 20:56 local time (18:56 GMT) in order to get a 20 over game in.

    I think it has stopped raining, but the ground staff are going to have to work incredibly quickly to get the outfield ready for play.

  3. There's a wild array of music being played in Potchefstroom to keep everyone entertained. 'All About That Bass' by Meghan Trainor is the latest offering.

    Some fans are gathered under one of the stands dancing about and generally having a great old time.

  4. Power has been restored to the floodlights, but it is going to take a few minutes before they are back at full strength.

  5. Ignore what I have just written about things improving. The floodlights have just gone out and there was a rather menacing rumble of thunder. And it is raining again.

    The chances of seeing any more cricket are receding rapidly.

  6. It looks like things may have eased, but because of the continued threat of lightning the ground staff are not allowed to begin the mopping up process yet.

    Thirty minutes need to have elapsed since the last strike for it to be considered safe.

  7. SkyGetty Images

    Anyway, back to the cricket (or lack of it).

    I have to admit I was pretty mesmerised by that golden orange sunset in Potchefstroom earlier. But now darkness has set in it looks pretty filthy out there. You can hear rain battering the roof of the stands and the sky around the ground is being lit up by bolts of lightning.

    We just need to sit tight and hope it passes quickly.

  8. Ouch. Low blow that, Drury.

    Yes, my team is going through a sticky time but thanks to Storm Darragh they didn't lose last weekend. So every cloud...

  9. The sky in Potchefstroom is now pretty much black and the rain is hammering down.

    On top of that, overs are now being lost.

    So, with that most positive of updates, it is time for me to hand over to a man who, thanks on his choice of football team, has had to learn to find even the faintest of silver linings.

    Best of luck with this one, Tom Mallows...

  10. More lightning and the sky has suddenly got very, very dark again. Although it is worth saying it is nearly 7pm in Potchefstroom so that could just be the sun going down...

    Still, the general consensus here among our weather non-experts in the UK is that the storm is rolling in.

  11. Thanks Sean, so does that mean you can get a shock even if you're not directly struck by lightning?

    Have to admit, I never knew that...

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    The risk from lightning is very real. Up to 200,000 Amp & 10,000,000 Volts. The players would be exposed to a risk from ‘step potential’ that can & does lead to heart failure.

    Sean in Stockport (genuinely a lightning specialist - it’s my job)

  13. We've just seen the latest pictures from Potchefstroom and lighter doesn't come close to doing it justice...

    The sky looks bright orange!

  14. Apparently things are looking a little brighter now so perhaps all hope is not lost...?

  15. Henry Moeran
    Test Match Special commentator

    The wind is picking up to the extent that a rather fetching salmon-coloured gazebo has just leapt over the advertising hoardings and is heading out to the middle, almost as if it fancies a bat.

    In fact, here comes a tyre...

  16. At least another half an hour until we get any cricket then, I'm afraid, folks.

    The covers are also firmly in place and the skies overhead look threatening in the extreme.

    I fear the rain might be about to hit as well...

  17. Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    With that bit of lightning we've just seen, the clock until play can begins starts again.

  18. Bad news from Potchefstroom...

  19. Back in Potchefstroom and while there is still no rain, we are still awaiting the start of the England chase.

    Lightning has delayed the tourists' innings. Hopefully not for too much longer.

    When (and I'm sticking with when rather than if) play does resume, Heather Knight's side will need 234 to win the match and the series.

  20. Brook takes Root's crown

    BrookGetty Images

    Meanwhile, Harry Brook has moved above England team-mate Joe Root to become the number one Test batter in the world rankings.

    The 25-year-old has overtaken Root after scoring 171 in the first Test of England's current tour of New Zealand and following it up with scores of 123 and 55 in the second Test in Wellington to give him a ranking score of 898.

    Root, who replaced New Zealand's Kane Williamson at the top of the International Cricket Council rankings in July, is just one point behind Brook on 897 and could take back his crown when the third Test starts in Hamilton on 14 December.

    More on that story here.