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  Match Drawn

  The handshakes come now. Credit to both sides for making some effort to make a game on the final day but it was ultimately the draw that has looked the likeliest result for most of the game. An almost entirely even Test match after the one-sided affair at The Oval. With no rain, we may have seen England needing, say, 270 to win on the final day. Which would've been something very special. But it wasn't to be, and so we head to archery and occasional cricket ground Lord's for the final Test with England still ni with a chance of retaining their number-one status.
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  Over 33 - England 130/4 (Trott 30, Bell 3)

  Trott leans into a classical cover-drive to collect four career-statistics-massaging runs. Might as well.
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  Over 32 - England 126/4 (Trott 26, Bell 3)

  Trott clips Morkel away for a couple of runs before edging wide of third slip for four. If Smith will insist on prolonging this match, then he could at least have the decency to put seven slips in place. Trott gets a single to long-leg. Long-leg! Why is there a long-leg?
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  Over 31 - England 119/4 (Trott 19, Bell 3)

  Kallis now bowling bumpers at Trott with a short-leg in place. Hopes that bad light might allow us all to go home to our mothers fade as the evening sun comes out again.
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  Over 30 - England 118/4 (Trott 19, Bell 3)

  Another over ticks by, but Smith isn't ready to call this one yet. The umpires may yet take it out of his hands; they've called for the light meters.
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  Over 29 - England 118/4 (Trott 19, Bell 3)

  Kallis seemingly suffering no ill-effects of that back spasm, which is good news. They can be funny things, I'm told. Can linger for days or clear up overnight. Kallis' appears to be in the latter category. Ten overs to go. I'd expect handshakes if there isn't a wicket in the next one.
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  Over 28 - England 118/4 (Trott 19, Bell 3)

  Bell blocks out a maiden from Morkel. The thrilling intensity of the last couple of hours has gone now. Don't think the handshakes are too far away. Been a surprisingly fascinating end to the game, though. Athers points out on commentary the seemingly obvious but oft forgotten (by us all) fact that a Test match is very, very long. That six-wicket afternoon session for England managed to revitalise a game that seemed absolutely dead.
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  Over 27 - England 117/4 (Trott 19, Bell 3)

  Kallis into the attack, which is unexpected. Looks a fraction easier for Bell and Trott, who collect a few singles, but it's good news for South Africa to see Kallis back bowling ahead of next week's Lord's Test.
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  Over 26 - England 115/4 (Trott 18, Bell 1)

  Smith still refusing to attack. Shows his declaration with only Imran Tahir to come wasn't really that positive. Don't think he thought England would make any kind of tilt at the total and just wanted to stop them taking 20 wickets. There's still a ring field and only two slips as Bell edges just short of that man. Fine, aggressive over from Morkel even if it wasn't fully backed up by his captain. Couple of painful blows for Trott to take on the body after Bell scurries a leg-bye.
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  Over 25 - England 114/4 (Trott 18, Bell 1)

  Trott plays out a maiden from Philander. Fourteen to go.
• 

  Last hour

  We're now into the last hour - 15 overs to go. Captains can shake hands on a draw at any stage from now on. Won't happen for a while, though; South Africa fancy it. One more wicket in the next half-a-dozen overs and things remain interesting. Or 'terrifying' if you support England.
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  Over 24 - England 114/4 (Trott 18, Bell 1)

  The number of possible results drops to two. Bell's instructions quite clear as he plays out a maiden over with watchful blocks and leaves.
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  Over 23 - England 114/4 (Trott 18, Bell 1)

  Bizarre field from Smith here. Clearly not convinced England won't get these runs as Philander has just one slip, a gully, and a ring field. Can't understand that. England have given up the chase. Get the men in the cordon and around the bat.
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  Over 22 - England 112/4 (Trott 17, Bell 1)

  Short ball from Steyn flicks Bell's hip and doesn't quite carry to De Villiers. Bell's faced five balls and already been whacked on the finger and the bony part of the hip. They're chipping bits off him. Steyn absolutely steaming in round the wicket to Trott with a short-leg and leg-slip in place. Trott forced to jerk his head out of the way of a corking bouncer and suddenly this looks tricky for England. Required rate's gone above eight an over, but I think you can forget about that now. Six wickets in 17 overs is the stat that matters.
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  Over 21 - England 110/4 (Trott 16, Bell 1)

  Bell's approach will tell you what England's plan is now. Suspect it's shut up shop time, but it's been brave from England to continue their chase this long. Such a shame that Prior ran himself out. Another quickfire half-century from him would've been just the ticket. He was seething as he walked off. Early alarm for Bell as Philander gets the ball to bounce alarmingly and catch the glove but it flies to safety behind square for a single. Trott calmly clips to leg for a couple. Doesn't seem too bothered by that run-out fiasco. He's back in his bubble.
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  Over 20 - England 106/4 (Trott 13, Bell 0)

  Ian Bell is the new batsman. Still 19 overs to go. All things still possible, but an England win now the outsider of three.
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  WICKET! Prior run out (Smith) 7

  Shocking piece of cricket from Trott and Prior. Trott hits Steyn for four through point, two through midwicket and then works the ball to leg for an easy single. But the batsmen think there's a second run there. They're really, really isn't, but by the time Trott sends Prior back it's too late and he's run out by a foot despite a despairing dive. Suddenly it's South Africa sniffing victory.
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  Over 19 - England 99/3 (Trott 6, Prior 7)

  Prior looking busy as he cuts and sweeps for singles as Tahir continues. Trott doing his bit with singles as well before Prior gets a sweep away fine to the boundary. Risky sweeping out of the rough, but it's just about Prior's only boundary option unless Tahir bowls a bad ball.
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  Over 18 - England 91/3 (Trott 4, Prior 1)

  Prior in at five for England. Loads of rattle from the South Africans as he comes to the middle. Both sides still fancy this. Fascinating stuff. England need 162 more from 21 overs.
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  WICKET! Cook c Rudolph b Steyn 46

  A message came out to Cook and Trott from the dressing room while the ball was changed in the middle of Steyn's over. Very much doubt the instruction was hit the next ball into the hands of cover, but that's what Cook's done as he tries to work the ball into the legside and gets a leading edge. All four results still possible here.

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