Keshav Maharaj and Dane Paterson brought some much-needed defiance to the Standard Bank Proteas batting effort with South Africa's highest partnership of the match before the inevitable happened and England won the third Test match at St George's Park on Monday by an innings and 53 runs.
It gave England a 2-1 lead in the four-match series and retention of the Basil d'Oliveira Trophy for Test match competition between the two countries regardless of what happens in the final Test at the Wanderers from Friday.
The 10th wicket pair of Maharaj and Paterson put on 99 runs in a stand that was only four runs short of the record against England which has stood since 1929.
Maharaj was last man out - run out on 71 while Paterson's unbeaten 39 was his career best in his debut Test match.
The efforts of Maharaj and Paterson were largely responsible for the Proteas managing to score 135 runs in the morning session in almost 27 overs for the loss of the final four wickets.
The Proteas were ultimately bowled out for 237 runs in their follow-on innings - still well short of making England bat again.
England's Ollie Pope, having earlier scored his maiden century, completed a fine match with six catches to be named Man of the Match
