England v South Africa: Third Test start time, TV channel, latest betting odds and team news

As England and South Africa head to The Oval for the famous old ground's 100th Test, the series could not be better poised. 

After England thumped South Africa in the opening game of the series, South Africa responded with an even more convincing victory of their own in Nottingham to leave the series level at 1-1 with two to play.

South Africa can also welcome back Kagiso Rabada for this game, while England have been forced into a change at number three by Gary Ballance's broken finger.

Our guide contains team news, start times, TV channel information, stats and latest news from both camps, while Dave Tickner provides his best bets.

England v South Africa: Third Test contents

1. Match details
2. Team news
3. Betting tips
4. Key stats
5. Quotes
6. Latest news
7. Series fixtures & results

England v South Africa: Third Test key details

Dates: Thursday July 27 – Monday July 31
Session times: 1100-1300, 1340-1540, 1600-1800 BST
TV Channel: Sky Sports Cricket (404)
Venue: The Oval, London
Sky Bet odds: England 11/10, Draw 100/30, South Africa 7/4
Price Boost: Joe Root to score a century in 1st inns: was 3/1, NOW 5/1

England v South Africa: Third Test team news

Gary Ballance is ruled out with a broken finger, with Essex batsman Tom Westley set to make his debut slotting straight in at number three in the batting order.

Another uncapped batsman, Middlesex’s Dawid Malan, is also in the 13-man squad and could make the final XI if England decide to bolster their batting after the twin collapses in Nottingham.

Durham paceman Mark Wood is out due to a sore heel, meaning a Test debut for Middlesex seamer Toby Roland-Jones. 

Roland-Jones' Middlesex team-mate Steven Finn has been added to the squad as cover.

For South Africa, Kagiso Rabada is sure to slot straight back into the side having served his one-match ban, with Duanne Olivier the man to make way.

Middle-order batsman JP Duminy, dropped after the first Test, has now been released from the squad.

Probable England XI: Joe Root (capt), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Tom Westley, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson, Stuart Broad, Toby Roland-Jones, James Anderson.
Also in squad: Dawid Malan, Steven Finn

Probable South Africa XI: Faf du Plessis (capt), Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma, Vernon Philander, Chris Morris, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel.
Also in squad: Theunis de Bruyn, Aiden Markram, Duanne Olivier, Andile Phehlukwayo

England v South Africa: Third Test betting tips

"Thumping, ultimately one-sided games have been the story of the series, and of this England team, and of this ground in recent years. Both these teams have talent, but also fragility. Both have folded utterly when placed under pressure."

Click here for Dave Tickner's betting preview

England v South Africa: Third Test key stats

THE OVAL

Overall: 99 Tests: 40  home wins, 22 away wins, 37 draws
Last 10 Tests: 4 home wins, 4 away wins, 2 draws
Last Test: August 11-14, 2016: Pakistan (542 & 42-0) beat England (328 & 253) by 10 wickets
England v South Africa: 14 Tests: 6 home wins, 1 away win, 7 draws
Last England v South Africa Test: July 19-23, 2012: South Africa (637-2d) beat England (385 & 240) by an innings and 12 runs 

ENGLAND

Last 10 Tests (most recent first): LWLLLLDLWL
Last 10 home Tests (most recent first): LWLWWLDWWL

Last 10 Tests - top batsmen
Joe Root 935 runs @ 46.75 2x100 6x50
Moeen Ali 752 runs @ 39.57 3x100 3x50
Jonny Bairstow 736 runs @ 40.88 7x50
Alastair Cook 617 runs @ 30.85 1x100 3x50
Ben Stokes 548 runs @ 32.23 1x100 3x50

Last 10 Tests - top bowlers
Moeen Ali 37 wkts @ 34.32 2x5w 1x10w
Adil Rashid 30 wkts @ 35.66
Ben Stokes 23 wkts @ 27.47 1x5w
Stuart Broad 16 wkts @ 36.31
James Anderson 15 wkts @ 31.26 1x5w

SOUTH AFRICA

Last 10 Tests (most recent first): WLDWDWWWLW
Last 10 away Tests (most recent first): WLWDLWWLLD

Last 10 Tests - top batsmen
Quinton de Kock 751 runs @ 46.93 2x100 5x50
Dean Elgar 737 runs @ 40.94 2x100 5x50
Hashim Amla 686 runs @ 40.35 1x100 3x50
Faf du Plessis 616 runs @ 56.00 1x100 5x50
Temba Bavuma 428 runs @ 25.17 4x50

Last 10 Tests - top bowlers
Kagiso Rabada 41 wkts @ 23.80 1x5w 1x10w
Vernon Philander 34 wkts @ 22.67 2x5w
Keshav Maharaj 32 wkts @ 24.31 2x5w
Morne Morkel 20 wkts @ 27.40
Kyle Abbott 18 wkts @ 19.38 1x5w

England v South Africa: Third Test key quotes

ENGLAND

England captain Joe Root on Dawid Malan potentially replacing Liam Dawson: "I'll have a look at the wicket tomorrow and decide what is happening then.

"I think it is important to look at the surface and see what we think is going to be the best side to take South Africa on in those conditions. So we will turn up tomorrow and look at the wicket and consider then."

Root on Mark Wood and Toby Roland-Jones: "Wood is not 100 per cent fit so he's going to miss out this week and Toby Roland-Jones comes in for a debut." 

Ben Stokes calls for positive England reaction: "You take good performances and bad performances in your stride and I think it's all about how we come back in this Test which will prove how good of a side we are. Obviously, it wasn't an ideal performance from us as a team and we know that.

"It's good that we managed to get time away and sort of look back on and assess where we went wrong and hopefully we can right the wrongs this week. No-one's ever going to get questioned in that changing room about their fight and desire for wanting to perform for England." 

On England women's World Cup success: "It's an amazing achievement for them to win a World Cup in England. It proves just how far the game has come for them. The amount of people that watched, the amount of coverage it gets. I actually ended up watching a bit of the game as well so it was great to see them go from not looking like they were going to win it to (win). It was amazing to watch and, being an Englishman myself, it's always good to see an English team lift the World Cup." 

ECB statement on England's squad: "Essex's Tom Westley is set to earn his first cap, with selectors confirming he will bat at number three in the 100th Test at the Oval.

"Middlesex batsman Dawid Malan is also included in the squad for the first time and could feature if England decide on selecting an extra batsman when they confirm their starting line-up next week."

SOUTH AFRICA

Hashim Amla on returning to the scen of his epic 311 not out in 2012:  "I find that with things that happened in the past, generally, if you linger on it too long it becomes more of a distraction than anything else.

"Let's see how this game goes - every moment is a different opportunity for something to happen." 

Bowling coach Charl Langeveldt on the return of paceman Kagiso Rabada: "KG is one of our best bowlers. He is the type of guy who steps up when the heat is on. Having KG back is a big bonus for us.

"He is a youngster with a lot of energy, he will come with a lot of energy. I have no doubt he will step up. He did a lot of work before play during the second Test in  Nottingham - he bowled his overs and got his workload up, he will be  raring to go." 

England v South Africa: Third Test latest news

Roland-Jones to make England debut
Toby Roland-Jones will make his England Test debut in the third Test against South Africa at The Oval after Mark Wood was ruled out through injury.

Amla ready for Oval return
Hashim Amla is promising nothing more than the same name on the scorecard as he returns to the scene of his national-record 311 not out at The Oval. 

Stokes out to right the wrongs
Ben Stokes has called for England to "right the wrongs" of Trent Bridge when they face South Africa in the third Test. 

Returning Rabada raring to go
South Africa bowling coach Charl Langeveldt says paceman Kagiso Rabada will be raring to go in third Test against England. 

Westley to bat No 3 for England
Uncapped Essex batsman Tom Westley will bat at number three for England in the third Test.

Mark Wood passed fit for The Oval
England seamer Mark Wood is fit for the third Investec Test against South Africa after scans on his left heel confirmed no serious injury.

Ballance ruled out of third Test
England batsman Gary Ballance has been ruled out of the third Test against South Africa with a broken finger.

Click here for more England v South Africa news on our cricket index

England v South Africa: Test series fixtures & results

July 6-10: First Test, Lord's: England win by 211 runs

July 14-18: Second Test, Trent Bridge: South Africa win by 340 runs

July 27-31: Third Test, The Oval

August 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford 

Series all-square at 1-1

Click here for full cricket fixture list