Moeen stretches England advantage to 360
Moeen Ali's excellent unbeaten half-century cemented England's stronghold over South Africa in the fourth and final Test at Old Trafford on Sunday.
England, who had a 136-run first-innings lead, was reduced to 153 for 7 in its second innings. But Ali's 59-ball 67 not out took England to 224 for 8 – a lead of 360 – before rain forced an early close on the third day.
England is bidding for a first home Test series win over South Africa since 1998, with Joe Root seeking a victory in his first Test series as captain. South Africa already needed to set a new ground record if it was to end the four-match series at 2-2 as no side has made more in the fourth innings of a Test at Old Trafford to win a match than England's 294 for 4 against New Zealand in 2008.
Barring Root, who scored 49, none of the England top order could capitalise on the first-innings advantage.
Morne Morkel removed Alastair Cook and Tom Westley, both caught at gully, as England went to lunch at 53 for 2.
Keaton Jennings, who was dropped in the slips when on zero, was unable to cash in on his reprieve, making 18 before edging a cut off Kagiso Rabada to Hashim Amla at first slip. Dawid Malan, out for scores of 1 and 10 on Test debut during England's 239-run victory in the third Test at The Oval, exited for six – after being dropped on five – when Keshav Maharaj had him caught off bat and pad at short leg.
Root and Ben Stokes (23) then shared a 57-run fifth-wicket stand before both fell to Duanne Olivier. Olivier, who also dismissed Jonny Bairstow, ended the day with figures of 3 for 38.
Moeen made South Africa pay for Dean Elgar dropping him on 15 when a low slip chance off Maharaj went down. Moeen was especially harsh on Maharaj, hitting him for three sixes.
Earlier, South Africa resumed on 220 for 9 in its first innings and lost its last wicket when Olivier top-edged a Stuart Broad delivery to Bairstow.
Olivier's fall meant James Anderson was denied a maiden five-wicket Test innings haul at his Lancashire home ground. But figures of 4 for 38 in 17 overs gave Anderson his best innings return in seven Tests at Old Trafford.
