Will they make SA bat again?
Time to pull the plug on Crawley surely, his head must be up his arse, under pressure now every time he walks to the wicket. I don’t think it’s doing him any favours keeping him in the spotlight.
Surely a recall for the country’s premier opening bat? Especially as he’s bang in form.
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With Root just gone for 6 and England 57-3 I doubt it.
Still need another 104 runs
Root gone for six, caught in the silps off Ngidi playing a nothing shot to a ball he should have left.
Bairstow gone now,
Nortje to Bairstow, OUT
Gottim this time! Nortje finds his line, finds the right length, and nearly bursts a blood vessel celebrating! Slightly short outside off, 91mph/147kph heat and although Bairstow could probably leave alone, he’s drawn into a push, which produces a thin edge through to Verreyne. SA converge on a Nortje, who is like an enraged bull, snorting and pawing the ground, then practically goring his captain as Elgar comes over to give him a hug
81-4, trail by 80
86-5, Lees gone, trail by 75
Swiftly followed by Foakes for a duck
For Botham and Dilley 81 read Stokes and Broad?
All over. Innings defeat
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Nope
2nd Test v SA starts today
SA won toss and chose to bat
$th over and Anderson gets Erwee to tickle one into Foakes mitts, ball has been tempting the edge all morning.
3-1 from 4.2
Anderson to Erwee, OUT
Inside edge, and that had been coming! A nipbacker from Anderson, Erwee was half forward, uncertain of his angles, playing away from his pads and a thin snick almost wrongfoots Foakes. He snaffles well with a late direction change, and England are up and running!
Elgar gone for 10, no wait Robinson’s foot isn’t behind the line, idiot
And Broad gets Elgar with a legal ball, good catch from Bairstow
Elgar 12 c Bairstow b Broad
SA 35-2
Broad to Elgar, OUT
Thick edge to third slip and England have their second! Hitting the length, half a bat’s width of away movement, Bairstow stoops and scoops low in front of his body. Reward for an excellent first hour from England. Will Elgar rue batting first? It’s not been easy going so far
Petersen gone for 21, edged straight into Root’s midriff.
SA 40-3
Broad to Petersen, OUT
Got him, this is terrific bowling from Broad! Hits a good length, angling in towards off stump, and Petersen’s feet are stuck as he looks to defend this. Ends up getting squared up as the ball straightens off the deck with fairly steep bounce, and he edges it straight into the lap of first slip
Markram gone for 14, skies a shorter one from Stokes that Foakes snaffles quite easily
Markram 14 c Foakes b Stokes
SA 68-4
Stokes to Markram, OUT
Another miscued pull, and Stokes has struck in his first over. And Markram, having looked so good, is out for 14. Again the ball stops on him as he looks to pull from the line of off stump or just outside. Stops and maybe bounces a little more. Markram is through his shot early, and he top-edges it high in the air, presenting Foakes an easy catch running to his left
Lunch SA 77-5, I missed the 5th wicket
Stokes to van der Dussen, OUT
Huge appeal, and it’s given! van der Dussen has reviewed, though… Stokes gets this to come back in quite a long way as he gets a biggish stride forward to defend. Did that strike his front pad in line? van der Dussen’s bat is drawn in front of his body while defending, and the ball snakes in, past his inside edge, and hits his front pad somewhere in the region of off stump. Somewhere in the region is right - umpire’s call is the verdict of ball-tracking, and, wow, umpire’s call on height as well, with the ball predicted to kiss the top of the bails. Quite a brave call from Chris Gaffaney to give that, with van der Dussen quite a long way forward, given how much bounce there is in this pitch
Rassie van der Dussen lbw b Stokes 16 (31b 2x4 0x6) SR: 51.61
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Have now managed to find the feed on the TV so on in the office for this afternoon 2 Saffer’s to wind up.
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92-6. Harmer lbw Anderson.
Dumb wasted review. Absolutely plumb
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96-7
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112-8