JOHANNESBURG: Morne Morkel took three wickets in seven balls as South Africa swept to a series-levelling victory on the fourth day of the fourth and final Test at the Wanderers Stadium today.

South Africa won by an innings and 74 runs when England were bowled out for 169 in their second innings in the last over before

lunch. Only Paul Collingwood stood firm for England, scoring 71 on a morning during which seven wickets fell for 121 runs. Morkel finished with 4-59. He and Dale Steyn shared 14 wickets in a match dominated by the fast bowlers. They also shared the man of the match award.

England captain Andrew Strauss admitted: “Graeme (Smith) and his team didn’t give us a sniff in this Test match.” England went into the match 1-0 up in the series after winning by an innings and 98 runs in the second Test in Durban. The first and third Tests in Centurion and

Cape Town were drawn,

with England nine down

in their second innings on both occasions.

South African captain Graeme Smith said: “I’m proud of the way the guys performed in this Test match. We were under pressure coming into this game. “We got close in two of the games but credit must go to Andrew and England for their resilient performances in Centurion and Cape Town and the way they played in Durban.”

Strauss said he was

disappointed with the way his team had performed in their final match. “But I’m very proud of the way the team performed over the 10 weeks we’ve been here.”

Collingwood batted aggressively at the start of the day, scoring most of the runs and taking most of the strike as he and Kevin Pietersen added 36 runs in 40 minutes to the overnight total of 48-3. South African newcomer, left-arm fast bowler Wayne Parnell, made the breakthrough

when Pietersen (12) chased a wide delivery, slanting

away from him, to be caught behind by Boucher. It completed a disappointing series for the South African-born Pietersen, who scored 177 runs in four matches.

Ian Bell made only five before he was Morkel’s first victim of the day, fending a sharply-lifting delivery to Jacques Kallis at second slip. Two balls later Matt Prior was out without scoring when an attempted hook looped off a top edge and Graeme Smith was able to run back from first slip to take the catch.

In Morkel’s next over Stuart Broad gloved a catch down the leg side to Boucher. He was given not out by umpire Steve Davis but South Africa successfully sought a review. Swann batted with his customary aggression, making 20 off 17 balls, before he edged an out-swinger from Dale Steyn to AB de Villiers at third slip.

Collingwood’s fighting innings ended when JP Duminy was brought on to bowl

his off-spinners. His first ball was a long hop which Collingwood pulled straight to Morkel at deep backward square leg. Collingwood made 71 off 88 balls with 12 fours and a six. Duminy wrapped up the win when Ryan Sidebottom swung and missed to be bowled by the fifth ball of the final over before lunch.