So, as the last lot file out of Lord’s, this feels an appropriate time for me to sign off for the day. Jimmy A, who had a doze as Cook and Ballance battled through the last hour, says England will bat “the best part of two sessions” tomorrow to set up a big ol’ target. Bob Willis thinks they should tee from ball one on Sunday morning. Cavalier, is Bob.
Anyway, thanks for your company, emails and tweets today. Isn’t lovely to have Test cricket back? Have a lovely Saturday evening: if this is your bag, Vic Marks’s report from Lord’s, plus bits and pieces from Ali Martin and Barney Ronay, will be online before you know it. Thanks again, and speak soon.
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Jimmy Anderson, talking to Michael Atherton, seems very satisfied with England’s position in the game, and the early throes of Joe Root’s captaincy. He’s just curtly corrected Athers on his age... Still got it.
This, by the way, is the number of runs Alastair Cook needs to overtake Sachin Tendulkar in the Test charts. #CatchinSachin
4803 to go.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) July 8, 2017
So, England are right on top in this Test. If you were being super-picky, you could have asked for 50 more runs in that evening session, but they will be more than happy. 180 overs remain, it’s not going to rain, and they by 216. I won’t need to spell out what their strategy from here on in will be. For South Africa, the sight of Philander back on the field will bring optimism, but they have plenty more fielding to do.
Close of play! England lead by 216!
51st over: England 119-1 (Cook 59, Ballance 22) Duminy to bowl the last, then. South Africa want to get out of here sharply. Ballance is watchful, then turns one round the corner and the single is greeted by some ironic cheers from what remains of the crowd. Everyone looks like they have had a really lovely day at Lord’s. Cook blocks the final ball of the day very firmly. England are right in charge, and Cook has ground them into a very fine position.
50th over: England 118-1 (Cook 59, Ballance 21) Here we are in the penultimate over of the day, and Maharaj is the man bowling it. We are going to be done just after 6pm, which is rare these days. Cook is watchful until he misses a big drive. Besides that, he’s riding the spin well, still getting right across to the offside.
49th over: England 118-1 (Cook 59, Ballance 21) This is the latest in a series of, well, quiet overs. Cook doesn’t look that fussed about getting after Rabada. The last ball is yorker-length and on leg stump, so Cook turns it through square-leg for one.
We were talking about revs per second earlier, and David Wall is wondering if it’s worth the bother. In terms of physics, I am now officially in over my head.
Is that actually much use as an informative statistic for viewers? It seems that the extent to which the ball moves depend perhaps more on the state of the pitch where it lands, and the part of the ball that strikes the ground, than on the speed that the ball is turning. And it’s not similar to the forward speed that bowler is delivering the ball, something that we all have a general grasp of. It sounds like an excuse to have something else to flash on the screen, and for the commentators to discuss during slow periods. And to wheel out some new device to measure it, and so justify a further hike in the subscription for the channel.
48th over: England 117-1 (Cook 58, Ballance 21) Maharaj had a brief rest, but he’s back now. Bowling over the wicket (still no leg slip) to Ballance, he is causing some trouble. One balloons off the pad to short leg, another sees a sweep totally missed. Calmly defends the last ball of a maiden. Three overs to go tonight.
47th over: England 117-1 (Cook 58, Ballance 21) Three dots begin this over, then Cook turns Rabada to leg for one. Ballance gets inside the line of a short one, then turns a rather surprising highish full toss through behind square for one. The lead is 214.
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46th over: England 114-1 (Cook 56, Ballance 20) G-Ballz begins Duminy’s over by slicing a full toss behind square on the offside for two, then taking one through square-leg. Cook is defending, until the last ball, which he cuts out to deep point for one. There are five more overs tonight.
45th over: England 111-1 (Cook 56, Ballance 17) Ali Martin at Lord’s has emailed saying Philander can bowl straight away because his is an external injury, and therefore the time restrictions do not apply. Rabada serves up a very tidy maiden to Cook, who is just grinding England into a very strong position. No hurry, and David Shepherd would be in strife now.
Damian Clarke is suggesting I get myself one of these to ease my bladder woes, while Eddy Richards raises an interesting point. I reckon Broad won’t have to bat again in this game.
As an occasional number 9 (the occasion being when ether we are only playing with 9 men, or have children making up the numbers) I was pleased to see both Broad and Philander score 50s. I wonder how often this happens?
44th over: England 111-1 (Cook 56, Ballance 17) Duminy is replacing Maharaj, who bowled a lovely long spell. Ballance won’t mind that, I don’t reckon, and he trots down to the pitch of the second ball and pumps it over mid-on for four! Shot! England’s lead is 208. The penultimate ball of the over turns BIG, Ballance’s drive misses it, and it ends up in the hands of slip! No one out there is interested. Big turn.
This is 100% correct. The way he turns his wrist and pops round the corner makes him a grand old candidate.
@willis_macp It's ridiculous not to have a leg slip to Ballance on a pitch that is turning like this. It's where the anxious leftie hits it.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) July 8, 2017
43rd over: England 107-1 (Cook 56, Ballance 13) I am suffering from a real OBOer’s nightmare: I need a pee and they are so obviously staying out there til the close. I’ve needed it since about half an hour after tea and you may have noticed my thinly veiled begs for a drinks break about half an hour ago. Anyway, suck it up Will, you’re an adult.
As I worry about my bladder, Cook clips Rabada hard through midwicket and gets an attractive four. Later in the over, there’s an edge that drops just short of Amla at first slip. Unlucky. Rabada bowling nicely.
Marie Meyer is totally debunking Joe Haycock’s swiftly concocted theory:
Australia, 2009, 5th Test. Strauss, Cook, Bell, Collingwood, Trott. So that is 6 sets of double letters in the top five. Next in was Prior followed by Flintoff, so the average was one double letter for the top 7.
Blooming Prior. Richard Woods is also suggesting Hobbs, Sutcliffe, Hutton and Washbrook but isn’t sure if they ever did the job together.
42nd over: England 103-1 (Cook 52, Ballance 13) Cook is doing OK to Maharaj without ever looking total comfy. He’s getting miles outside off and gets himself off strike with a fine swept one, possibly off the bottom edge. After this, it takes about four minutes to set the field because they want another helmet or something. Eventually, the final three balls were bowled. Ballance tries to reverse sweep the first! He misses. The next pops up off his pad behind square on the legside. Safe. And the last is swept hard for four! Very well played. Ballance is settling.
John Starbuck has a theory on Vern’s return, and he’s almost definitely right.
Philander has probably come back on the field so as to avoid silly regulations about his length of absence and ensure he can bowl first thing tomorrow. Someone is bound to correct this, but why else would he be keen instead of sensible?
Cook 50!
41st over: England 98-1 (Cook 51, Ballance 9) Cook is struggling to time Rabada here. There’s a cut that doesn’t make it beyond point, but then a neat steer behind point for four! Well played. He has 48. And there’s his half-century! Rabada overpitches and Cook rocks onto the front foot (he doesn’t really rock, does he?) and he drives through extra cover for three! Vernon Philander, newly back, does well to haul it in. 127 balls, eight fours for Cook. Ballance ends the over by turning to leg for two.
Here, thanks to Thomas Bowtell, is Cook, Strauss, Trott and Bell in a top four together, in the wake of Textgate. James Taylor got run out going for the fourth in that game. A real I Was There moment.
And here’s an interesting point from Mark Hooper. It wasn’t beautiful from Jennings, but it also wasn’t 30 for three, as England so often are.
So Jennings has made a negligible score at a run per over, but crucially he’s helped to play Cook in and take the shine off the ball - in other words exactly what Compton did before getting dumped?
40th over: England 89-1 (Cook 44, Ballance 7) My suspicion was correct. Cook hadn’t scored a run for 28 balls before that clothed pull. Anyway, it’s Ballance on strike now, and Maharaj is troubling him, on front and back foot, but Ballance is battling hard. A second successive maiden for the left-arm spinner.
39th over: England 89-1 (Cook 44, Ballance 7) Nice. Rabada is having a bowl from the Pavilion End, taking over from Morkel’s very fine spell which accounted for Jennings. He’s bowling over the wicket at Cook, who has been pretty slow since tea. He’s scored 11 in 70 minutes. He has a sort of wafty prod outside off, but misses. The over ends with a shortie from Rabada, and Cook pulls! He doesn’t even get half of it but the crowd go bananas (well, as bananas a Lord’s crowd goes) and they run two.
While I’ve got you, you should really read this. Vish, our man on the ground for the women’s world cup, on a huge game tomorrow.
38th over: England 87-1 (Cook 42, Ballance 7) SA have brought an extra catcher in for Maharakj to Ballance. Leg slip. After tracking and looking a bit ungainly for a dot, he sweeps hard and hits the poor bloke at short leg. He’s defending a long way forward again, and it’s a maiden.
Interestingly, Vernon Philander is back on the field with his sore, bruised hand. Wasn’t expecting that today.
Joe Haycock is here to trump Thomas Bowtell! This surely happened, yes. Can’t quite think when, but it must have done.
Also after no hours of research, I reckon the double letter thing is more common than expected. Strauss, Cook, Trott and Bell must have been a top 4 for England at one point?
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37th over: England 87-1 (Cook 42, Ballance 7) Cricket’s a great game, because England are well on top in the match but South Africa are dominating this little period. After a couple of probing balls, Ballance camps back and drives nicely through point for four, getting him off the mark. That’s the way he’s been batting all summer for Yorkshire. After a sturdy defensive stroke, Morkel comes round the wicket, and is driven through extra cover! They scamper three. Back over the wicket for Cook, and it’s angled across him and stays a bit low outside off. No sign of the drinks break I predicted. Lead is 184, and there are 14 overs left today.
Well, well, well. This’ll be good. Zafar is due to be coming on mine and Vish Ehantharajah’s podcast soon too. Great fella.
Hi @willis_macp There's an int with Zafar Ansari @TPpodcast_ on focus, commitment, quitting, India. Worth a mention? https://t.co/AGMlKhkKRT
— Renlau Outil (@RenlauO) July 8, 2017
36th over: England 80-1 (Cook 42, Ballance 0) With the ball turning, Maharaj is bowling well, drawing Cook forward and pushing him back. He tries to sweep and doesn’t connect again, he’s struck on the pad outside the line and the ball nearly rolls back onto the stumps. It doesn’t, don’t worry. That’s the most exciting moment of a tidy maiden. I think they are going to bowl one more and then have a wee drinky.
Trivia time with Thomas Bowtell! I like this lots.
After no hours of exhaustive research I’m glad to confirm that this is the first time England’s top four have all had a double letter in their name. (COOk, JeNNings, BaLLance and ROOt).
35th over: England 80-1 (Cook 42, Ballance 0) Just one ball remains of Morkel’s fine over and it’s Gary Ballance is the man facing it. He leaves it. For his dismissal Jennings’s bat was angled and his concentration gone. Sloppy way to end a decent innings.
Wicket! England 80-1 (Jennings c de Kock b Morkel 33)
Morkel is going over the wicket and angling it across Jennings. He looks unconvincing throughout the over (just defending and leaving), and then has a peculiar wafty nibble at the penultimate ball and feathers through to the keeper. They don’t drop them. Really good spell from Morkel with the ageing ball, this. Gone for 33, and the lead is 177.
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34th over: England 80-0 (Cook 42, Jennings 33) Cook tries to sweep Maharaj, but it goes through everyone having taken the pad, and runs away for three legbyes. They ask whether Jennings has been caught off bat and pad, but he definitely hasn’t. There’s a legside single to get Cook back on strike, and he really doesn’t look that comfy. I’d be crowding the bat, but Elgar is happy with slip, short leg and a catching midwicket.
33rd over: England 76-0 (Cook 42, Jennings 32) England lead is becoming substantial, but it’s not growing that rapidly, which is fine. 173 at the moment. Morkel is bowling to Jennings with three slips and a gully, and Jennings is just defending. One takes the outside half of the bat and goes into the offside, but with no cause for alarm. He leaves the last well alone and it’s a maiden.
An optimistic email from Sachin Paul!
So if Jennings settles, we’d have England’s long sequence of settled lefty opening pairs continue - Butcher-Tres, Tres-Strauss, Strauss-Cook, Cook-Jennings. It’s beautiful how the junior left hander ages in front of our eyes and takes over the mantle of the senior for the incoming guy.
This is a nice point. Except there have been so many blooming openers since Strauss that I don’t want to get too excited. And don’t bet against Hameed being back by the summer, or the emergence of Mark Stoneman. He’s superb.
32nd over: England 76-0 (Cook 42, Jennings 32) Maharaj is bowling nicely to Cook, and the keeper and slip are umming and ahhing. The ball is turning and the bat is missing. The over ends with a sweep that he, err, misses. A maiden. Maharaj and Morkel could be a fun combo over the next few overs.
31st over: England 76-0 (Cook 42, Jennings 32) Morne is back! He started well earlier, but Elgar really has to vary his attack with Vern not bowling today. After a couple of decent balls, he gets one to take a thick edge off Jennings and it goes directly, at catchable height, between second and fourth slip, then runs away for four. Another man comes in to fill the gap. After a leave, Jennings has a defensive grope and it’s something of a play and miss. Perhaps we are seeing a bit of reverse swing? Be fun if so.
Graeme Carter has a question, and I have an answer:
Not relevant to Guardian ... but what is the ‘RPS’ number that appears in the analysis line of the Sky Sports screen when I watch live Test matches? The only answer I can find is Rising Pune Supergiant from the IPL. Puzzling.
This is revolutions per second, I believe. Shows the amount of revs the spinner is putting on the ball.
30th over: England 72-0 (Cook 42, Jennings 28) Jennings sweeps Maharaj. They run one. Cook’s sweeping too, and with more ambition. He top edges, and there’s a cry of catch it, but it gets nowhere near the fella on the fence. They run another one. Jennings mucks up his reverse sweep and they take a leg bye. The over ends with a dot, as Cook turns into the legside, but straight to the man at midwicket.
29th over: England 69-0 (Cook 41, Jennings 27) Oh, JP! Bit more flight and rag and Duminy rips on past Cook’s outside edge as he props forward! Tasty! The next one has him in a little trouble on the back foot, too. The rest of the over is calmer, but there’s no runs.
28th over: England 69-0 (Cook 41, Jennings 27) Jennings sweeps Maharaj very hard and rather uppishly (top edge?) and it flies past the man at backward square for one. Not sure the percentages are that high on that stroke. Cook wants to sweep too, and does so without really looking at the ball, but manages to make contact, but straight to the man. He then ends the over by popping the ball over the legside for one. Again, percentages, man. He survives.
27th over: England 67-0 (Cook 40, Jennings 26) Duminy is firing them in pretty swiftly. Not quite darts, but sharp and flat. Anyway, it’s another maiden but Cook isn’t really troubled. England’s lead is 164.
26th over: England 67-0 (Cook 40, Jennings 26) Good over from Maharaj to Jennings, who isn’t quite sure whether to be forward or back, and fluffs another reverse sweep. He doesn’t take a run from the over.
Lots of chatter about Simon McMahon’s cocktail party. First, Phil Sawyer:
I’ll be happy to go to Simon McMahon’s Cocktails and Cricket Bats Shed Party, especially if he’s mixing the MBMs (his recipe, not mine), Actually, what does he mix in an OBO?
Then Brian Withington, who started all this off, I suppose. He’s keeping the dream alive!
Please thank Simon McMahon for the very kind invitation(s). My brother is currently driving back to the West Midlands after an open day at Southampton Uni (the joys of parenthood) but I am sure he would be delighted to bring a bottle (and possibly even a bat). The garden shack is actually genuinely impressive in a mid-life male crisis sort of way.
25th over: England 67-0 (Cook 40, Jennings 26) Duminy into his fourth over. Cook gets himself off strike midway through the over, with a powerful cut that point saves and they take the single. Saved three, cost one, I suppose. Jennings turns a cute sweep round the corner and they run two, then everyone acts like the over has ended, but it hasn’t. Back they come, and Jennings plays a similar stroke. They take just one this time.
Matt Emerson has been in my inbox, with chat about cricket, drink and drugs! What a combo.
Sitting watching the cricket and reading the OBO. I have a bad back so have taken a Tramadol, but that’s an entirely different thread of conversation...
On my stag weekend I was given a Baileys and Ginger Wine, which both looks and tastes disgusting on account of it curdling in the glass. It’s a more alcoholic version of a Cement Mixer - a combination of Baileys and lime juice. You may be surprised to learn that I wasn’t very well that night.
Also, the whole Rabada business made me think of Chris Cairns dismissing Graham Thorpe at Lords and giving him a farewell involving industrial language. It’s in this clip - about 2.30 in or so.
24th over: England 63-0 (Cook 39, Jennings 23) More Maharaj, more Cook defending. He tries a big sweep at the fifth ball of the over but it gets big on him and hits his body. Nice easy single ends the over. Cook keeps pinching the strike!
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23rd over: England 62-0 (Cook 38, Jennings 23) Duminy continues. He’s started very tidily and five dots start the over. Cook happy to defend off front and back foot, but he’s getting over to the offside. Ends with a bad ball, though, and the full toss is flicked wide of mid-on, from where Morkel chases it down, for three. England are very well placed here, with the lead worth 159.
22nd over: England 59-0 (Cook 35, Jennings 23) Jennings is almost bowled behind his backside first ball of this over, but there’s a very emphatic reverse sweep next up. Through point, perfectly struck, and four! Point goes back to the fence in response. Bit defensive from Deano, I reckon. He’s defending for the rest of the over and there are no runs, or cause for desperate alarm. The ball is turning...
21st over: England 55-0 (Cook 35, Jennings 19) The spinners are doing ok here, and Duminy is causing Cook a bit of trouble early in the over. But the pressure is released by a beautiful cover drive, played very late out of the rough. That gets him four. He then tries to cut a short ball, but the contact isn’t great and the over ends with the firmest and forwardest of defences.
20th over: England 51-0 (Cook 31, Jennings 19) Interesting over, this. Jennings gets himself in a bit of a tangle a couple of times as the ball turns plenty. There’s also a reverse sweep, like before tea, and he gets decent contact in front of square and they run two. To confirm he wasn’t watching before tea, Shane Warne gets very, very excited by this reverse-sweep. The reaction was approximately akin to when he learns that the dirty rotten pizza is on the menu.
Speaking of the cocktail party, Simon McMahon’s been in touch again!
Somewhat remiss of me not to invite Brian too, and your good self. In fact, everyone’s welcome. Cocktails on me!
I’ll get my little black dress dry-cleaned, then.
19th over: England 49-0 (Cook 31, Jennings 17) Spin from both ends! Duminy’s having his first bowl of the series, and he starts well, as Jennings leaves outside off to the umms and ahhs of the keeper, de Kock. He drives out to the offside sweeper, and they amble through for one. Ooph, is that a missed chance? It’s looped up round Cook’s pads and the batsman is on the move, thinking there are byes to be had, but there aren’t. De Kock doesn’t take it cleanly; if he had a stumping could have been on the cards. Alas.
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18th over: England 48-0 (Cook 31, Jennings 16) Maharaj, who is going to be a busy boy this afternoon, I reckon, gets us going. Cook is watchful, defending into the legside and back to the bowler, and it’s a maiden. Cook’s spent rather a lot of time working with another South African spinner, Simon Harmer, this summer. Looks very comfortable.
Simon McMahon with a question that all of us are asking. Brian’s brother sounds like the perfect guest, doesn’t he?
Afternoon Will. Can Brian Withington’s brother come round to my house? I’m getting a new shed a week on Monday, actually it’s my first ever shed, and the thought of gin, cricket bats and the OBO is making me rather giddy.
Robert Wolf Peterson has been in touch!
Please wait until South Africa bat again before flexing your undoubtedly mighty jinxing muscles. Thanks for the Sussex update. Jofra Archer, eh? What a hero. Match figures of 7-81, and he still found time to monster 42 off 14 deliveries when Sussex were chasing quick runs. I want to be him.
I have tomorrow off, and I really hope South Africa aren’t batting tonight, so the jinxing knife will stay firmly in its bag for now. On Jofra, he’s a blooming delight. Wish he’d just play for the Windies, but sounds like he wants to play for England, which I’m pretty certain he will, what with that absolutely glorious action of his.
Anyway, here come the players.
About five minutes until they get going again at HQ, then. I appreciate it’s not for everyone, but there is something really lovely about watching Alastair Cook bat. I’ve had the good fortune to see him doing it a fair bit for Essex early this summer and he’s been in great order: unhurried, inelegant, methodical, and just generally very comforting. He has 31 and, after a shaky start, looked right in the groove before tea.
Brian Withington’s been in touch again, and now he’s operating right in my wheelhouse.
All these drinking references suggest there might be some interest in my brother’s excellent yet undiscovered back garden cocktail shack themed blog. He also likes cricket bats almost as much as his artisanal gins.
You can read it here. It all looks really rather lovely. And fetishising over cricket bats is a lovely way to spend one’s time.
Emails!
This one, from Martin Peters, poses a decent question. I think the golf one is closest: two up at the turn, maybe? In charge, but still time for plenty to go wrong...
Would it be fair to say that a 100 or so runs first innings lead is broadly equivalent to a 3-0 half time lead in football, or, say, a 12-3 advantage in rugby, or maybe being 2 up with 8 to play in matchplay golf?
And Brian Withington’s back ... wait, bear with me: KG and the StumpMic Band?
Decided that it was better to keep it clean with the classical reference rather than ponder when Rabada might be tempted to treat the stump mic to another Rhapsody in Blue?
Tea! England lead by 145 runs!
17th over: England 48-0 (Cook 31, Jennings 16) That’s better, Keaton Jennings. Rabada overpitches and he drives elegantly through straight mid-on for a couple, and a couple of balls later there’s a lovely flick through midwicket for four. The rest are defended, and that’s a very fine hour’s work for England’s openers. The lead is healthy, there have been few alarms, and South Africa are a man shy and have frittered away both their reviews.... Time for some tea.
A Vernon Philander update: He is unlikely to bowl again today, but his hand is just bruised, not broken. Might well bowl again in the game, by the sounds of things.
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16th over: England 42-0 (Cook 31, Jennings 10) Cook begins Maharaj’s over with a delightful turn through midwicket, and they run three. jennings, perhaps relieved to not be facing Rabada, goes for another big reverse-sweep and scuffs it, but they take one. Cook is careful for the remaining four balls.
Sussex have beaten Leicestershire by 231 runs at lovely Arundel, for those interested...
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15th over: England 38-0 (Cook 28, Jennings 9) Jennings is struggling to get Rabada away. There’s a drive which is well fielded at cover and a couple of leaves, as well as some forthright defence. Another maiden, the fourth from his six overs. Two overs ‘til tea, I reckon.
Phil Sawyer gets us back on the booze, with an email simply title “Drinking”. Sounds like he is having a very fine day indeed.
Apologies, Will, I think it may have been me that started this drinking thread, Having over indulged last night keeping up with the Blast, I’m having a day of abstinence today. However, I’ve just been out in this scorching sun and now have a large supply of strawberry splits to recover with. By my standards, this is winning.
14th over: England 38-0 (Cook 28, Jennings 9) 10 minutes until teatime. Cook tries to sweep Maharaj a couple of times but the legside field is busy and he finds the man. But the last ball is too full, and with only nine fielders available to Elgar, there’s no man at cover. Cook sends it through there for four. Easy game, this.
I’m an hour into my stint and we have had a reference to Elgar’s musical surname! Classic! It’s from Brian Withington, with whom I agree: the composition of Elgar’s attack isn’t quite right...
Elgar’s bowling options are looking a mite limited. Who else is wondering if he can possibly compose some [groan] enigmatic variations in his field settings?
13th over: England 34-0 (Cook 24, Jennings 9) Here’s Rabada replacing Morkel, then. He’s bowling to Jennings, who looks increasingly keen to score (couple of drives straight to fielders). He doesn’t score, though: it’s a very tidy maiden. There’s a man in the stands wearing a cycling helmet, seemingly to protect himself from the sun. Odd.
Agree with this; reckon Edgbaston is going to be utterly glorious if the weather is nice for the day-night Test next month. Finals Day is always great fun.
@willis_macp About the drunken singing I know that Lords is mecca of cricket but I love that raucousness that you get at Edgbaston..
— richard foster 🦅 (@rcfoster) July 8, 2017
12th over: England 34-0 (Cook 24, Jennings 9) Maharaj to Jennings, then. He’s defending, but reverse-sweeps the third (that’s one of his shots, as you’ll remember from Mumbai), but he hits it straight to backward point. Then he edges wide of slip and they run one. Cook is getting miles across outside off (as that review last over showed) and he’s defending very carefully under his nose.
11th over: England 33-0 (Cook 24, Jennings 8) Keats leans into a cover drive off Morkel and it runs away down the slope only to be hauled in at the very last moment by Kuhn, who looks a very fine fielder to me. They sprint three, then Cook squirts to third man with an open face for four more! And then he does exactly the same again, just prodding forward, rolling his hands, and using the pace. Four! Time to put a third man in? That has gone directly between second slip and gully, so the latter moves to third slip. There’s a pantomime cheer when an attempt at a third dab merely finds backward point. And there’s 11 from the over – the lead is 130.
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10th over: England 22-0 (Cook 16, Jennings 5) Time for some spin! South Africa are short on options, and Maharaj replaces Rabada, who may well be swapping ends. From over the wicket with a slip and short leg, Cook gets in a bit of a tangle outside off but no real cause for alarm. The next is a full toss that he sweeps hard, and it beats the man in the deep to the boundary for four!
Eesh, Cook might be in trouble here. This one has absolutely ragged back, he’s tried to cut and it’s hit him on the pad. Umpire says no, but after what feels like an eternity, Elgar reviews! That’s their second, and they have run out for the next 70 overs! It’s turned a mile but has hit him outside off stump, so not out. he responds by driving a half-volley through the covers for four! Eventful over.
Adam Roberts in the Cayman Islands! He’s absolutely right, this is very gritty stuff, although I sense life will ease for England soon...
My 5.30 start being richly rewarded with a great day’s play. And this bit is wonderful - old style Test cricket with cautious openers, accurate aggressive bowling and the Lord’s hum, no drunken ‘singing’.
9th over: England 14-0 (Cook 8, Jennings 5) Morkel seems to have decided to bounce out Jennings from round the wicket. Ramiz Raja always says round the stumps and, for no real reason, that really gets my goat for no real reason. Anyway, the two bouncers he begins with are very benign and Jennings barely needs to duck. He’s fuller thereafter, and Jennings shows no desperation to score, and therefore doesn’t score. He’s a nice loud caller, Jennings. No run!
For batting distractions, KP and Broad remain in a class of their own.
KP would have been distracted by Spidercam if it were at The Oval and he was batting at Lord's @willis_macp
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) July 8, 2017
8th over: England 14-0 (Cook 8, Jennings 5) Runs! In consecutive balls! Cook squirts Rabada down to third man along the ground off the open face for four, then flicks through midwicket for a couple. He’s in the groove! Oh wait, he’s beaten outside off from round the wicket next ball. The rest are respected, and that’s a very fine end to the over probing on fourth stump.
The world knows of my ability to jinx, and I care not how many Test runs the victim has. No one is immune.
waiting patiently for you to jinx Cook buddy
— Laurence Ivil (@LaurenceIvil) July 8, 2017
7th over: England 8-0 (Cook 2, Jennings 5) Morkel’s round the wicket and Jennings is driving him to mid-off. After that it’s a very steady maiden, the fourth of the innings. England’s batting order is very mullet, isn’t it? Sensible up front, party at the back.
Spidercam has been up to no good, delaying us and all, and m’colleague Tom Bryant has been in touch from Lord’s moaning. He’s not even a moany sort of guy, Tom, so it must be really annoying.
Can report from Lord’s that spider cam is a menace. Constantly distracting and frequently parked right in blooming front of me. Certain people at top of grandstand trying to fire champagne corks at it.
The most Lord’s game, ever. Except maybe cricket.
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6th over: England 8-0 (Cook 2, Jennings 5) Rabada gets his first look at Cook this series. There’s an ugly cut outside off that he misses, then a wafty drive that he misses too. Steady, Chef. The drive one was a lovely ball actually, just nipping away a touch, and perfect for Cook: nice and full. The last is left, which is sensible.
Ian Copestake’s on about drink, and I’m feeling a touch queasy.
As you know, Will, cricket is almost as big in Russia as drinking. However, the Russian OBO toxic drinking thread never goes beyond one email that simply says “Vodka”.
5th over: England 8-0 (Cook 2, Jennings 5) This over is delayed by a bit more confusion with the sightscreen, because Morkel is swapping to over the wicket to Cook. When we get going, there’s a big appeal for lbw! Cook’s been pushed back and squared up a bit, but Paul Reiffell isn’t interested. South Africa review! Looks like it pitched outside and, sure enough, it did. It passed the no bat test, but failed the pitching in line one. Fallen at the second hurdle. Amid the leaves and the defending that follow, there’s one run from the over, an extremely Cook squirt down to fine leg. That’s his 1,000th run against South Africa! Taken him 16 Tests and he actually only averages 34 against them.
On the county blog I have developed quite a reputation for a peerless ability to jinx, and Lee Smith is in my inbox reminding me of this. He writes:
I’ve seen the damage you can cause during a round of county matches and as this is the 1st test of the summer it wouldn’t do to reduce the England 2nd innings to ribbons.
I’ll do my best. South Africa have made a fine start, that review aside.
4th over: England 7-0 (Cook 1, Jennings 5) South Africa, you sense, are going to be really stretched here, without Vern, who is having an x-ray on a hand that got hit earlier. Maharaj is going to have to do a lot of bowling, and some of the part-timers – Duminy, Elgar, Bavuma – too.
Anyway, for now it’s KG Rabada and Jennings can’t get him away, until he strays onto the pads and is flicked away for four. That is about as elegant as Jennings gets. Ah, KG, don’t do that: next ball he oversteps and has to do it again. The end of the over is much tidier: Jennings leaves, then defends sternly.
3rd over: England 2-0 (Cook 1, Jennings 1) Morkel stays round the wicket to Cook, and the first isn’t that pretty. Down legside. He’s better afterwards, and challenging the batsman, but it’s another maiden. Neither batsman nor bowler will mind that.
On toxic beverages, there’s this number I’ve seen consumed called a Woody-Bowyer, for reasons that we needn’t go into, but involve a pair of former Leeds and Newcastle footballers. It’s basically loads of mixed alcopops and some extra vodka served in a pint glass. Very sugary, very unpleasant.
2nd over: England 2-0 (Cook 1, Jennings 1) It is indeed Rabada from the Nursery End. He starts very nicely at Jennings, who tries to squirt him away but only finds gully. He returns to defending and leaving thereafter, and the over is a maiden. Good start from SA.
An email! From Robert Scott!
Back in the late 80s as a Goth/metalhead/punk hybrid, I used to frequent the Studio on Plymouth’s Union Street as a Student. They were having a clear out of the beer cellar and had three crates (of very out of date) Cherry B, Snowball and Pony respectively. I would get one of each (30p each) and have them in a pint glass, topped up with Lemonade. Great to drink and looked horrific under UV. No one pinched it ever.
Yes, I’d certainly be giving that one a wide berth...
1st over: England 2-0 (Cook 1, Jennings 1) So, Morne. What you got? Cook’s defending the first two, both full probing and straight. For the third, Morkel goes round the wicket and that predictable Lord’s delay to sort out the sliding sightscreen follows. He pokes into the offside for one. He remains round the wicket for Jennings, and that’s a decent nut that the bat is just drawn inside the line of. Eesh - that’s a risky single! Pushes into the offside and sets off but Kuhn is all over it at cover and his shy misses by a whisker. Would have been miles out with a direct hit. The last is calmer: left along by Cook.
Afternoon Stuie! Stuie is a stalwart of the county blog that I often look after. The lead is 99...
@willis_macp afternoon will! Build on that lead
— Stuie Neale (@MrNeale92) July 8, 2017
Big news: Vernon Philander, last man out for a very handy 52, is off for an x-ray on his hand at that hospital on Wellington Road.
Morne Morkel to get us going from the Pavilion End. Rabada from t’other. How angry is he going to be today?
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Hello! Will Macpherson here, taking over from Smyth on this fine Saturday afternoon. 53 overs in the day, and England’s second innings – their lead is 97 – not far from kicking off. In fact, it’s so imminent that the umps are on their way out.
That’s it from me. Please be upstanding for Will Macpherson, who will tell you whether England get the third-innings blues. Thanks for your company, bye!
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Five South African players were dismissed between 48 and 59, which will frustrate them. Moeen was comfortably the pick of the England attack: 20-7-59-4.
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WICKET! South Africa 361 all out (Philander b Moeen 52)
Moeen Ali returns to the attack and ends the innings quicksmart. Philander, on the charge, was bowled via inside-edge and pad to end a fine innings of 52. Moeen finishes with four for 59 and England lead by 97.
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104th over: South Africa 361-9 (Philander 52, Morkel 2) Morkel gets away with a feckless heave off Dawson, with the ball dropping short of deep midwicket. A thick edge for three takes Philander to a very good fifty, his seventh in Tests and his second at Lord’s. “And the best news about this fifty,” says Shaun Pollock on Sky, “is that Nasser Hussain owes me five pounds!”
103rd over: South Africa 355-9 (Philander 48, Morkel 0) Philander moves closer to his second Test half-century at Lord’s with two thumping extra-cover drives off Wood.
102nd over: South Africa 347-9 (Philander 40, Morkel 0) Dawson could end with three fairly cheap wickets, despite a modest bowling performance. He beats Morkel with a ball that goes straight on.
“Your correspondents who were gifted the benefit of a university education went about their cheap drinking in completely the wrong way,” sniffs Andrew Battershill. ”My housemates and I spent many weeks working out the ‘pissed for pence’ value of our local supermarket offerings, and ended up with many nights of drinking Tesco own brand extra sweet sherry – about 18% and under a pound a bottle in the late 80s. Oh the joys of making it to college in the morning only to rush out of lectures to be sick in the toilet. We also worked out the cheapest Bloody Mary was to be made by wringing the contents of a can of chopped tomatoes through a handy teatowel…”
This is fifty shades of wrong. Withnail & I has a lot to answer for. We’ve all been guilty of it, but I wonder who invented banter drinking.
101st over: South Africa 346-9 (Philander 39, Morkel 0) Philander plays another cracking stroke, forcing Wood behind square on the off side for four, and then top-edges a hook over Bairstow for another boundary. These are useful runs, which take South Africa to within 112 of England.
“Hi Rob,” says Geoff. “Surely there must be a role somewhere with the Mac Millings XI for Garfield Sobers? Designated driver (puller and cutter) perhaps?”
100th over: South Africa 337-9 (Philander 30, Morkel 0) “I’m at Lord’s with my wife celebrating our eighth anniversary, in the cheap seats quaffing prosecco,” says Will West with justfied pride. “However, last week, at a dinner party, I discovered the winning combination of Gin and Um Bongo. Still no word on whether this particular cocktail is popular in the Congo.”
WICKET! South Africa 337-9 (Maharaj LBW b Dawson 9)
Maharaj survives an LBW shout from Dawson by virtue of being a long way down the pitch. England review, as much as anything because they have two left - and Hawkeye shows it was hitting off and middle. Maharaj was miles down the pitch, and there are some who will not particularly care for that decision.
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WATCH: @BazMcCullum delivers a batting and captaincy masterclass in The Zone: https://t.co/KUnzMv2FLG @ShaneWarne @WardyShorts #ENGvSA pic.twitter.com/Haij14U534
— Sky Sports Cricket🏏 (@SkyCricket) July 8, 2017
99th over: South Africa 334-8 (Philander 28, Maharaj 9) Wood’s pace is in the low 80s, which is surprising/disappointing/worrying/the end of civilisation as we know it. He’s still fast enough to beat Maharaj’s leaden-footed cut stroke.
“The twilight of Jimmy’s career is a bit like that of Teddy Sheringham,” says Dave Adams. “Never relied on pace anyway, and so guile, nous, and technique are keeping him at the top. Jimmy’s seam position through the air remains a thing of beauty.”
I think you’re bang out of order objectifying Jimmy’s seam position like that.
98th over: South Africa 334-8 (Philander 28, Maharaj 9) Dawson gets one to burst at poor old Vern, whose right hand has taken some punishment in this innings. Beautifully bowled.
“Just seen Mac Millings’ XI,” says Shaun Clapperton. “There’s actually a Wetherspoons in Ashington called the Rohan Kanhai.”
I didn’t think it was possible to respect the JD Wetherspoon chain more than I already do. I was wrong.
97th over: South Africa 334-8 (Philander 28, Maharaj 9) Philander is struggling with his right hand, having been struck by Anderson before lunch, though you wouldn’t know it from that handsome pull over midwicket for four off Mark Wood.
“During my book club in Frankfurt yesterday the talk turned to cricket,” says Ian Copestake, “and I was asked if any particular food is associated with it, just as in German sausages are so strongly linked to football as to make ‘stadionwurst’ (stadium sausage) a thing.”
What a stupid question. You know full well it’s the Honey and Lavender Glazed Norfolk Duck, Carrot and Orange Purée.
96th over: South Africa 327-8 (Philander 21, Maharaj 9) Liam Dawson starts after lunch. His first bal- hang on, Liam Dawson starts after lunch? His first ball is short, wide and cut for four by Maharaj. Shane Warne has a persuasive theory, which is that Joe Root is trying to give Dawson one or two tail-end wickets to get his confidence up for the fourth innings, when spin is likely to play a big part.
“A pint of the snakebite at the Coven nightclub in Oxford was mysteriously cheaper than either a pint of cider or a pint of lager,” says Miranda Jollie. “Still not a great excuse for drinking the stuff.”
File under: it was the 90s. (I’m assuming it was the 90s.)
Lunch: South Africa trail by 135 runs with two wickets remaining
95th over: South Africa 323-8 (Philander 21, Maharaj 5) The last over before lunch, bowled by Anderson, passes without incident. The wicket of de Kock in his previous over makes it a decent session for England, who lead by 135 in this interesting Test match. See you in half an hour for the afternoon session.
94th over: South Africa 318-8 (Philander 20, Maharaj 1) “Bob,” says Mac Millings. “With all this talk of boozy reminiscences, please allow me to present my All-Time Booze XI:
Wally Hammered
Graham Hooch
IPA Richards
Rohan Kanhai have another?
ABV de Villiers
James Fosters
Barf Le Roux
Sloshed Hazlewood
Moonshine Warne
Michael Alcoholding
Merv Booze.
93rd over: South Africa 314-8 (Philander 17, Maharaj 0) Jimmy Anderson turns 35 this month. It’s no age for a fast bowler, yet he is still producing figures like these: 18-6-39-2. He’s the wise old don of world cricket.
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WICKET! South Africa 314-8 (de Kock c Stokes b Anderson 51)
Anderson makes a huge breakthrough. de Kock slices a drive towards square cover, where Stokes swoops to take an extremely good low catch. That was also good captaincy from Root, his first effective bit of funky field-setting.
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92nd over: South Africa 313-7 (de Kock 47, Philander 17) Moeen replaces Broad, whose four overs with the new ball went for 35. It’s just a different setting on the bowling machine to the relentlessly attacking de Kock, who swaggers down the track to lift Moeen high over midwicket for four - and repeats the stroke later in the over to reach a Gilchristian half-century from just 36 balls.
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91st over: South Africa 305-7 (de Kock 43, Philander 17) A maiden from Anderson for Philander, who is still wringing his hand in pain from time to time. South Africa have batted quite brilliantly against the second new ball; de Kock on the attack and Philander in defence.
“Hi,” says Paul Ward. “Reidy’s cocktails have passed into legend, especially in Football 365’s ‘Football people on TV’ series.
90th over: South Africa 305-7 (de Kock 43, Philander 17) Stokes, Broad and Root have a pow-wow betwen overs. They probably didn’t agree that Broad would bowl his first ball on the pads so that de Kock could skim it behind square for four; that’s what he has just done. A wider delivery is rifled through mid-off for another boundary, which brings up the fifty partnership and the 300. De Kock is playing beautifully, and another boundary through midwicket takes him to 43 from 30 balls. He has deposited Broad all round Lord’s.
“Rum and barley wine was my 1970s favourite, mainly because of the name: Dragon’s Blood,” says John Starbuck. “Nowadays it’s either various single malts or a Gimlet (Gin and Lime Juice) showing that tastes do indeed change, if not always mature.”
89th over: South Africa 293-7 (de Kock 31, Philander 17) Three from Anderson’s over. As usual he’s been very economical: 16-4-39-1.
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88th over: South Africa 290-7 (de Kock 30, Philander 15) Batting looks pretty comfortable, even against a new ball and, in Philander’s case, with a sore bottom hand. This pair have added 42 in eight overs, and South Africa trail by 168. If they can shave another hundred off that we could have a very interesting match.
“Afternoon Rob,” says Dave Adams. “Not sure whether the tendency to drink more moderately as we age is down to growing up, having more cash, or the physical decline that means it takes days rather than hours to recover. My own shameful favourite was to drink a bottle of gin mixed with Lucozade when travelling for football. In hindsight, not one of my better life choices.”
I once read that the England footballer Peter Reid was enjoying some late-night male bonding when, in lieu of a mixer, he discovered the dubious joys of vodka and Listerine.
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87th over: South Africa 287-7 (de Kock 28, Philander 14) Anderson gets another one to rear at Philander, who pulls his right hand off the bat in a hurry. This pitch might not be much fun to bat on by Monday.
“Maybe you’re not a Chippendale, Rob,” says Mac Millings. ”But drop a letter from your name here or there, and I’d definitely be tempted to bring a stack of dollar bills to a performance by Bobbi Myth, Exotic Dancer.”
Unsubscribe.
86th over: South Africa 283-7 (de Kock 26, Philander 12) Philander back cuts Broad confidently for four. He’s a decent lower-order batsman, with a batting average in the mid-20s, and actually his runs were a big part of South Africa’s victory in that seismic Test on this ground in 2012.
“Rob,” says Michael CM. “I’m trying to work out the best music compliment to listening to TMS/following the OBO. I’m thinking some sort of Brian Eno ambient stuff or some “post-rock” like Godspeed You Black Emperor. Thoughts? I’m aware this has probably been discussed before.”
85th over: South Africa 276-7 (de Kock 26, Philander 5) Philander is being worked over by Anderson. An outswinger goes past the edge; an inswinger climbs to rap Philander nastily on the glove. He wolfs down a couple of painkillers before resuming his innings, and gets off the mark with a touch to the fine-leg boundary. He’s not entirely comfortable, and as the blow was on his right hand it may have an effect on the rest of the match - and maybe the second Test as well.
“Quinton de Kock has to do a Sangakkara doesn’t he and give up the gloves?” says Gary Naylor. “He is a No4 a team that really needs one now AB de Villiers is not available. It’s a no-brainer isn’t it?”
Yep. At the very least he needs to do a Bairstow and go to No5.
84th over: South Africa 271-7 (de Kock 26, Philander 0) Broad beats de Kock with two of his three deliveries; de Kock hits the next three balls for four! Excellent stuff. The dead-eyed counter-attacking of de Kock is so reminiscent of Adam Gilchrst. He has 26 from 17 balls.
“Morning Rob,” says Paul Billington. “On the subject of cider from younger days, we used to treat ourselves to “posh” snakebites at university consisting of 1664, Strongbow and Ribena. In leaner weeks it would be supermarket brand Tin, Sigma cider (less than £1 for a litre) and value squash. I say we, but thinking about it I can’t actually remember my friends putting that much thought into it.”
We were the same, and as happy as pigs in Chardonnay. (£2.50 a bottle from Spar.) Cluelessness is so underrated.
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83rd over: South Africa 259-7 (de Kock 13, Philander 0) England take the second new ball. Anderson’s second delivery is an unplayable seaming grubber to Philander, who would have had no chance had it been straight. He is beaten in more traditional fashion by two gorgeous outswingers later in the over.
“Currently singing ‘Bavuma Rabada’ to the tune of Hakuna Matata,” says Sam in Kent.
I knew there was a reason I’d been singing Kokomo in my head all morning.
82nd over: South Africa 258-7 (de Kock 13, Philander 0) Quinton de Kock would counter-attack if the score was nought for seven, never mind 253 for seven. He moves to 12 from his first seven deliveries with a classy back-foot drive for four off Moeen.
“I was pleased to see Liam Dawson selected ahead of Adil Rashid,” says Gary Naylor. “The Yorkie has nine wickets this season at 50 and is ‘enjoying’ an economy rate of over 4.5 - hardly a compelling case. Dawson, being left arm, complements Moeen’s right arm, working any rough that might appear and this pitch is spinning and will only spin more - last Saturday, dear old Samit was turning it square two pitches up the slope.”
How about 23 wickets in India when nobody took more than 10? That not compelling enough? I hope I’m wrong as he’s clearly a resourceful and impressive cricketer, but my instinct is that Liam Dawson is as much a Test player as I am a Chippendale.
81st over: South Africa 253-7 (de Kock 8, Philander 0) A bit of rubbish from Dawson is pulled for four by de Kock. Moeen will have at least one more over, you would expect.
80th over: South Africa 248-7 (de Kock 3, Philander 0) That was the last ball of the over. The second new ball is available but England will continue with spin for now.
WICKET! South Africa 248-7 (Bavuma c Stokes b Moeen 59)
Terrific bowling from Moeen. Bavuma was on the back foot playing for turn, understandably so after recent events, and the ball skidded on to take the edge. It hit Bairstow and flew to slip, where Stokes took a smart catch. Moeen has his third wicket and Bavuma has gone for a very good 59.
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79th over: South Africa 248-6 (Bavuma 59, de Kock 3) The new batsman is the brilliant, dangerous Quinton de Kock, who has a Test average of 51. It’ll be interesting to see whether Root gives Dawson another over or takes the new ball straight away. Nasser and Bumble think he should continue with the spinners against de Kock for a few overs.
WICKET! South Africa 244-6 (Rabada c Bairstow b Dawson 26)
Liam Dawson (8-1-45-0) will have one over before the second new ball. So far it’s been a very bad game for Joe Root the selector. Dawson has plenty going for him as a limited-overs cricketer but it was hugely disappointing to see him selected ahead of Adil Rashid.
Erm, as I was saying! Dawson has taken his first wicket, with Rabada caught behind. He went back when he should have been forward and got a thick edge that was beautifully taken by Bairstow. That’s an extremely good bit of wicketkeeping.
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78th over: South Africa 244-5 (Bavuma 58, Rabada 26) Moeen almost skids one through Rabada, who decides that attack is the best form of defence and mows the next ball over midwicket for four. That wasn’t quite where he intended, but whatever.
“Love the detention concept,” says Brian Withington. “Could be very effective means of combatting slow over rates if everyone was kept behind for an hour after close. Maybe Geoffrey Boycott could supervise with a helpful lecture on how things were better in his day?”
That’s not detention; that’s a human-rights abuse.
77th over: South Africa 238-5 (Bavuma 57, Rabada 22) Rabada is doing a fine job here, taking time out of the game. And occasionally swishing and missing, as he did just then at Wood. This is quiet period in the game, as is often the case before the second new ball.
“Morning Rob,” says Phil Sawyer. “Things I don’t miss about being young: drinking Copperhead cider from LiquorSave (4 cans for £2!) with the aforementioned side order of self-loathing. Now I drink high class swanky time artisan cider. Oddly, the self-loathing seems to remain about the same.”
I miss being so unworldly that my idea of craft beer was a can of Fosters Export rather than Fosters.
A reminder from @AWSStats that Ben Stokes is on 3 disciplinary points (as was Rabada before this game) so one misdemeanour away from a ban.
— Simon Mann (@Cricket_Mann) July 8, 2017
76th over: South Africa 237-5 (Bavuma 56, Rabada 22) Moeen comes into the attack, replacing Stokes. His first ball spits viciously at Bavuma, who gloves it just wide of Ballance at short leg. After three years of oddjobbery, England have found the perfect role for Moeen as No7 and attacking second spinner.
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75th over: South Africa 236-5 (Bavuma 54, Rabada 22) A mixed over from Wood. He beats Rabada with a jaffa but then lets slip a full toss that is carved for four.
“The Rabada thing,” begins John Starbuck. “’Demerit points’ sounds very public school. Can you get ‘Housepoints’ for applauding an opponent’s fifty?”
Haha. You could also introduce detention – an hour in the Long Room at the close of play, writing 800 words on why I must learn to make my aggression passive.
74th over: South Africa 232-5 (Bavuma 54, Rabada 18) Bavuma square-drives Stokes for four to reach a classy half-century. As Mike Atherton says on Sky, he looks a much better player than his average (33.25) would suggest.
“Slightly surprised that Moeen isn’t tossing a few up to Rabada while Ben Stokes invites him to mind the windows,” says Gary Naylor.
I assume that’s Plan B, for a couple of overs before the second new ball.
73rd over: South Africa 224-5 (Bavuma 49, Rabada 17) Two from Wood’s over, again with a hint of reverse inswing to the hitherto strokeless Bavuma.
72nd over: South Africa 222-5 (Bavuma 48, Rabada 16) Rabada is quite stylish for a lower-order batsman, with a hint of Stuart Broad in his Garry Sobers days (see the last paragraph here). Stokes hits him on the collarbone with a terrific bouncer from around the wicket; Rabada times the next ball beautifully through mid-on for four. This is an excellent duel between two players who don’t like each other. I don’t think there have been any words between them yet.
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71st over: South Africa 217-5 (Bavuma 48, Rabada 12) A wide grubber from Wood to Bavuma hits Bairstow on the shin, forcing him to hop around in pain. Joe Root shows that captaincy won’t change him that much by failing to stop a fit of the giggles. That was a lovely moment of infectious, affectionate schadenfreude. There is a hint of reverse swing for Wood, with Bavuma digging out an inswinging yorker. Another maiden continues a good start from England.
70th over: South Africa 217-5 (Bavuma 48, Rabada 12) The timing of the rugby - and the availability of gin at Lord’s from the early hours - means there will be some lively hangovers tonight, never mind tomorrow morning. I must say, one of the things I definitely don’t miss about being young is having a beer headache at teatime, especially when it comes with a side order of self-loathing.
Ben Stokes starts at the other end, and almost slips a classy yorker through Rabada. A maiden. It’ll be interesting to hear what Stokes says if he dismisses Rabada; presumably something like “Off you go Kagiso, it’s an early ice bath for you!”
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69th over: South Africa 217-5 (Bavuma 48, Rabada 12) The Saturday of the Lord’s Test is one of the great occasions of the summer, yet there is a slight after-the-Lord-Mayor’s-Show feeling because of that epic rugby. Anyway, Mark Wood opens the bowling to old dirty mouth, who drives pleasantly through extra cover for two. Presumably Wood, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali will bowl until the new ball is available in 11 overs’ time.
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Did anyone see the T20 last night? Tom Curran bowled a sensational last over to win Surrey’s match against Essex. He looks a serious prospect, particularly in limited-overs cricket.
Talking of Nasser, on Monday he met Kagiso Rabada for this terrific interview. On Friday, Rabada was banned for flinging the F-word around at the Home of Cricket. Interesting.
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Arf!
Rob I'm struggling against a 65 mph medium dobber who bowls a bit like Damien Martyn do you have any advice ??Thanks Nasser from Chelmsford
— Nasser Hussain (@nassercricket) July 8, 2017
Rugby? Bloody hell.
Some more pre-play reading
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I won’t tell you the Lions score, in case you plan to watch it on delay. But if you want to get the latest news, you can so do by clicking here.
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Preamble
The real Lion comes out when the last tackle is needed, when someone is needed to make the last pass to make something happen. When it’s like that, when you think you have nothing left, you become a Lion.
Sir Ian McGeechan’s famous speech on the 1997 Lions tour came to mind at Lord’s yesterday evening. When the ball is old, the partnership is established and the legs are heavy; that’s when you become a champion bowler. Jimmy Anderson’s late dismissal of Theunis de Bruy n was worth more than one wicket, as it has significantly changed the mood of the match. At 214 for four, South Africa were right in the game; at 214 for five, with the second new ball due in 12 overs, England have a chance of dismissing them for under 300.
There is still some batting to get through, particularly the Temba Bavuma and the Gilchristian Quinton de Kock. He will be next in, once England get rid of Bavuma or the nightwatchman Kagiso Rabada. As you probably know, has been suspended for the second Test at Lord’s after becoming the first person to swear on a cricket field. I wouldn’t want to face him in England’s second innings.
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