“2 day Test match anyone”: Michael Vaughan inquires possibility of 2-Day Test matches as both England and South Africa get all out in 36.2 overs at The Oval

Michael Vaughan inquires possibility of 2-Day Test matches: The former English captain joked around teams getting bundled out cheaply.

During the fourth day of the third Test match between South Africa and England at The Oval, all South Africa needed to bring an end to England’s innings were 16 deliveries.

Resuming from their overnight score of 154/7, England could only score four runs before losing all their wickets this morning. Co-incidentally, both innings of the match comprising of shambolic batting lasted for 36.2 overs.

England pacer Ollie Robinson (3), who had picked a five-wicket haul to cause mayhem yesterday, was the first English batter to be dismissed today. Having picked a wicket on just the second ball of the day, South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada followed it with another one in his following over as England spinner Jack Leach (0) played on his third delivery of the innings to his stumps.

Last hope for the hosts in wicket-keeper batter Ben Foakes (14) also failed to counter the South African bowling attack as he edged a Marco Jansen delivery to Keegan Petersen at third slip to hand the left-arm bowler a maiden five-wicket haul and career-best bowling figures of 12.2-2-35-5.

ALSO READ: Herschelle Gibbs unable to make sense of England vs South Africa 3rd Test

England, who had an opportunity of batting South Africa out of the match, have gained a 40-run first innings lead instead. Although 40 runs could still be decisive in a low-scoring match such as this one, the hosts would still be kicking themselves for an archetype lost opportunity.

Michael Vaughan inquires possibility of 2-Day Test matches

Former England captain Michael Vaughan took to social media platform Twitter to see the funny side of back-to-back batting collapses in this match.

Practically a three-day match after no play was possible on the first two days, England vs South Africa 3rd Test has all the chances of still yielding a result. Vaughan, meanwhile, inquired the possibility of two-day Test matches in the future.

2 day Test match anyone ?

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 11, 2022

While two-day matches are mostly played as warm-up encounters before a Test series, the only instance of an official four-day match was when South Africa hosted Zimbabwe during the Boxing Day Test of 2017 in Gqeberha.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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