England eight wickets from winning fourth test and series

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 27 (Reuters) - England need eight more wickets to claim an emphatic series victory as South Africa lost both openers in the morning session on Monday at the start of their bid for a two-day vigil at the crease to save the fourth test at The Wanderers.

South Africa were 90 runs for two at lunch on the fourth day, still needing 376 to claim an improbable victory and draw the series.

Rassie van der Dussen was not out after a brisk 39 off 45 balls, with captain Faf du Plessis having just arrived at the crease.

England have plenty of time to bowl the home team out and took an hour before claiming the wicket of Pieter Malan, who scored 22 in a 38-run opening partnership with Dean Elgar.

Malan chased after a wide ball from Chris Woakes and got a healthy edge straight after the drinks break to be was caught by Ben Stokes in the slips.

Three balls later, Woakes trapped Van der Dussen leg before wicket. The South African batsman almost ran out of time to review, but then won a reprieve as the ball was shown to be missing the wickets, and the umpire’s decision was overturned.

England captain Joe Root used six bowlers in the first session in a bid to keep the batsmen from embedding themselves, with the wicket not proving as variable as expected.

Root conceded 22 in two overs after bringing himself on, allowing Elgar and Van der Dussen to post a 50-run partnership.

But then Elgar fended off a rising ball from Stokes and succeeded only in playing it back to the bowler for an easy caught and bowled.

He was dismissed for 24 runs to continue a miserable run of form in the four-match series, which England lead 2-1. (Editing by Kevin Liffey)