England can wrap up the series against South Africa with a win at the Wanderers in Johannesburg this week.
The ground holds mixed memories for England touring teams – they have twice been beaten by an innings in their past three visits – although it was also the venue of Matthew Hoggard’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ performance a decade ago.
Hoggard ripped through the Proteas on the final day in 2005 to secure a last-gasp win that would ultimately decide the series – England’s only success in South Africa since they were readmitted in 1992.
Here ecb.co.uk takes a closer look at England’s results at the ground since the Proteas returned to the world stage:
2010: ‘Steyn and Morkel deny England series win’
Fourth Test – South Africa won by an innings and 74 runs
England arrived in South Africa’s biggest city knowing that they would win the series if they avoided defeat but it was not to be as a hugely entertaining series ended abruptly.
Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel shared the man-of-the-match award after they took 14 wickets between them to skittle England in both innings.
The writing was on the wall from the very first delivery when skipper Andrew Strauss fell – moments after he elected to bat – to a superb Hashim Amla catch at short-leg off Steyn.
Steyn would go on to take 5-51 and after England were bowled out for 180 in 47.5 overs, Graeme Smith hit a century as the Proteas ran up 423 for seven declared.
They would not need to bat again, despite Paul Collingwood’s 71 from 88 balls and a tongue-in-cheek claim from Graeme Swann on Twitter that he was set to score his maiden Test ton in the rearguard, as Morkel took centre stage in the second innings with 4-59.
England could at least still contend themselves with a memorable 1-1 series draw.
2005: ‘Hoggard’s Magnificent Seven’
Fourth Test – England won by 77 runs
Matthew Hoggard swung England to victory, and a series lead they would not relinquish, with seven wickets on a pulsating final day at the Wanderers.
Marcus Trescothick’s 180 allowed Michael Vaughan to declare on the final morning and set the Proteas an improbable chase of 324 in just over two sessions.
Hoggard ensured they never got close to that mark as the Yorkshireman ripped through the top-order, he was at one point on a hat-trick, although England’s victory quest threatened to be held up when Graeme Smith walked out at number eight.
Smith had been dropped down the order after suffering a concussion and joined his regular opening partner Herschelle Gibbs, who hit a first-innings 161, in a partnership that tottered into the evening session and swung the odds in favour of a draw.
That was until Ashley Giles trapped Gibbs in front, two short of another ton, but even after two quick wickets followed Smith refused to be moved.
A dramatic final hour ensued as last man Dale Steyn edged over the cordon and then James Anderson put down Smith at point before Hoggard returned to complete the job he started.
Steyn got the thinnest of edges to Geraint Jones and England celebrated victory with just 8.3 overs in the match left.
1999: ‘Donald’s ducks’
First Test: South Africa won by an innings and 21 runs
By the end of Allan Donald’s second over of the match England’s hopes of victory were as good as gone.
England were two for four at the completion of it and Donald, whose expected pace blitz had been top of the pre-series build-up, had removed Mike Atherton with a searing delivery that plucked out his off stump before he scored.
Alec Stewart followed him after also failing to score and, while Mark Butcher managed one, Nasser Hussain made it a trio of ducks as he fell to Shaun Pollock in the over in between.
There was no coming back from that and by the end of the day England had been routed for 122, Donald had figures of 6-53 and the Proteas were 64 for one in reply.
Darren Gough’s five-wicket haul offered comfort with four Tests still to come in the series while Stewart showed the South African attack could be counter-punched against with 86 from 130 balls in the second innings.
It was not enough to make the hosts bat again, however, as Donald returned 5-74 second time around and with Pollock took 19 of the 20 England wickets to fall.
1995: ‘Atherton marathon innings saves England’
Second Test: Match drawn
Michael Atherton produced one of the best innings by an England captain to ensure his side claimed an unlikely draw.
Faced with the prospect of batting just over five sessions following a delayed declaration by Hansie Cronje, the skipper led by example with a near 11-hour innings that displayed copious amounts of concentration, determination and stamina.
Atherton stood firm for 492 deliveries for an unbeaten 185 that led the tourists, set a nominal 479 for victory, to safety at 351 for five from 165 overs.
It was not all plain sailing for England as, having advanced to 75 without loss, they lost four wickets on the penultimate day to slip to 167 for four at the close.
But Atherton returned the next day to continue his career-defining vigil, albeit not as fluently, and was superbly supported by South African-born Robin Smith and Jack Russell.
Atherton, who survived a difficult short-leg chance on 99, pulled his next ball from Allan Donald for four to move to three figures, and 4,000 Test runs, celebrating by embracing Smith.
England’s hopes of a draw were then dwindling when Smith slashed Donald to third man before lunch, ending a 111-ball 44.
But Russell, dropped on five, survived until the first interval and then, alongside awesome Atherton, resisted the South Africa attack for 235 deliveries to steer England to a famous draw.
Source: ECB