Mike Selvey reports from Centurion …
And so the first day ends, with South Africa carrying a fairly narrow advantage, which Bavuma and De Kock were expanding pretty rapidly towards the close. For most of the day England toiled without luck or inspiration. And with Jimmy Cook, who got a golden duck, talking about the success of his son Stephen, who scored a century on his. “I couldn’t be prouder at this moment,” he says. “He never gave up hope. He said, ‘My dream is true, I know I’m going to play, I just need to put runs on the board. I’m just chuffed he’s been given his chance eventually to see what he can do.”
More tomorrow. Bye!
SA close on 329 for 5, Bavuma 32 and de Kock 25 having added 55 for the sixth wicket. Honours to the home side,
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) January 22, 2016
STUMPS
90th over: South Africa 329-5 (Bavuma 32, De Kock 25)
Stokes finishes the day, and Bavuma hits past point for four. The final 50 minutes of day one, as well as the entirety of the first two sessions, was all South Africa’s, but if England were only going to have one good hour, at least it was a very good hour.
89th over: South Africa 323-5 (Bavuma 26, De Kock 25)
Moeen bowls what will presumably prove the day’s penultimate over, and gets some decent turn with the new ball. Bavuma gets a single from the fifth delivery, and the 50 partnership is politely applauded.
88th over: South Africa 322-5 (Bavuma 25, De Kock 25)
Bavuma drives down the ground, not a clean hit but firm enough to run away for four, and then goes through the covers, clean as the proverbial whistle this time. This partnership has already been worth 49 runs, and it’s one delivery short of 11 overs old.
87th over: South Africa 313-5 (Bavuma 16, De Kock 25)
Anderson bowls and De Kock hits successive boundaries, the first a lovely strike down the ground, and the second more conservative, angled between point and cover and accelerating away from the chasing fielder. The next, though, moves away off the seam and just past the edge. Intake of breath all round. Untroubled, the fifth delivery is heaved over midwicket for another four. So much for unhurried.
86th over: South Africa 299-5 (Bavuma 16, De Kock 11)
A single and a wide. Given the way South Africa’s innings was teetering, and the way several recent innings have teetered, this is good, sensible, unhurried batting.
85th over: South Africa 297-5 (Bavuma 16, De Kock 10)
Anderson bowls to Bavuma, who hits to square leg for a couple and sees off the rest without drama. The anticipated new-ball wicket-clatter has not so far occurred, and England will want at least one between now at stumps, surely.
Updated
84th over: South Africa 295-5 (Bavuma 14, De Kock 10)
Broad bangs one in short and De Kock pulls it away very nicely, through that sawdust-covered damp patch and off to the rope. To judge from the South African’s expression he appears to be terrified, but his batting has been fairly nerveless thus far.
83rd over: South Africa 291-5 (Bavuma 14, De Kock 6)
De Kock gets a single from the first ball, and Bavuma deals with the rest, a little awkwardly at times.
82nd over: South Africa 290-5 (Bavuma 14, De Kock 5)
Broad sends one swinging away from De Kock, starting wide and moving wider, and the batsman goes for the drive all the same. He misses, and it’s just as well, and that’s as close as the slips come to any action.
81st over: South Africa 287-5 (Bavuma 13, De Kock 3)
The lights are on. It’s overcast. There are two newish batsmen. Anderson has the new ball in his grubby paws (apparently). England take a deep breath and prepare for the first of many (well, five) celebratory roars. Bavuma, though, punches through cover for four.
The PA has just announced that " Jimmy Anderson has the new ball in his grubby paws". What's that about?
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) January 22, 2016
80th over: South Africa 283-5 (Bavuma 9, De Kock 3)
South Africa score a single and a two, and then the new ball is beckoned, no messing.
79th over: South Africa 280-5 (Bavuma 8, De Kock 1)
Woakes sends Bavuma what amounts to a written invitation for a run-scoring party, which the batsman accepts, smearing a short, wide delivery past point. New ball just six deliveries away.
England bowling by session, day one: Morning: 107-1 Afternoon: 117-0 Evening: 55-4 #SAvENG #CricViz
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 22, 2016
78th over: South Africa 275-5 (Bavuma 3, De Kock 1)
After a stand of 202, South Africa have now lost four wickets for 38 runs in 14 overs.
Updated
WICKET! Duminy lbw b Moeen 16 (South Africa 273-5)
Duminy, who had only scored in boundaries, looks to get another with a wild swing across the line. He misses.
Updated
77th over: South Africa 273-4 (Duminy 16, Bavuma 2)
Woakes bowls across Bavuma and down the leg side, and then, a couple of balls later, does it again. Then the new man gets off the mark with a prod through cover. The batsmen get all in a muddle as they decide whether to take a second run, and get away with it only because Taylor’s throw to the wicketkeeper is slow and high and wayward and all-round rubbish.
76th over: South Africa 271-4 (Duminy 16, Bavuma 0)
A lightning-fast maiden from Moeen. Like that, it was gone.
75th over: South Africa 271-4 (Duminy 16, Bavuma 0)
Woakes is back, and he joins Broad, Moeen and Stokes in having one wicket to his name – only Anderson remains unrewarded now.
WICKET! Cook b Woakes 115 (South Africa 271-4)
Cook’s gone! And like South Africa’s other centurion, he’s inside-edged into leg stump. He rode his luck at times, but that’s a fine debut knock.
Updated
74th over: South Africa 269-3 (Cook 113, Duminy 16)
Duminy is punishing the poor deliveries and doing nothing off the rest. Moeen’s second ball is certainly in the former category, and away it goes. England’s noses are in the air, Bisto-ad style, and they’re sniffing a new ball, six overs away.
73rd over: South Africa 264-3 (Cook 112, Duminy 12)
Edged! And safe! Anderson bowls, Cook is the batsman, and Root at gully dives low and to his left but can’t quite reach it! And then a single later Duminy, who has so far scored only in boundaries, works one fine and it runs down to fine leg.
72nd over: South Africa 255-3 (Cook 107, Duminy 8)
Moeen replaces Cook, and bowls a quite puzzling and clearly accidental slow beamer that Duminy swats away for four. “I’ve probably written this to OBO before, but my primary school Standard 4 teacher was Jimmy Cook,” writes Richard Mansell. “I went to Fairways, which was right next to the Wanderers ground (and golf course, hence the name). He was great, and we (well, certainly the boys) were in awe of him. His chum Ray Jennings (a very athletic wickie) used to visit every now and again.” How old are standard 4 pupils? Did he teach one subject, or all of them?
71st over: South Africa 251-3 (Cook 107, Duminy 4)
That’s a maiden from Anderson, England’s most economical bowler so far by a decent margin (Woakes unsurprisingly sits at the other end of that scale).
70th over: South Africa 251-3 (Cook 107, Duminy 4)
Duminy gets off the mark in style from his eighth delivery, driven through the covers for four.
.@StuartBroad8 v AB de Villiers in the SA series: Wickets: 4 Runs: 40 #SAvENG #CricViz
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 22, 2016
Updated
69th over: South Africa 247-3 (Cook 107, Duminy 0)
A maiden from Anderson. “For all of Ben Stokes’ pomp and swagger he does need to develop his appealing technique,” insists Jonathan McCauley-Oliver. “With LBW decisions under DRS it’s all about getting the on-field decision in your favour. Against Cook just now he got himself as excited as a kid on Christmas Day just knowing that Xboxes don’t come in sock-shaped parcels.” Not very excited at all, in other words. As appeals go it wasn’t so much understated as not stated at all.
68th over: South Africa 247-3 (Cook 107, Duminy 0)
Here’s Wisden’s list of debutant century-makers, which will have a new name on it this evening (or whenever they get round to updating it).
Cook the 8th oldest of the 100 Test debut centurions. Currently 3rd best score by debut opener aged 30+. Best: WG Grace, 152, in 1880.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) January 22, 2016
Updated
67th over: South Africa 246-3 (Cook 106, Duminy 0)
Having made his way, slowly and increasingly shakily, through the nervous nineties Cook composes himself once again, and pulls through midwicket for his 13th four.
66th over: South Africa 241-3 (Cook 101, Duminy 0)
Cook survives the appeal – a poor decision from the umpire, though in fairness on first viewing the ball looked to me to be heading wide of leg stump – and then pushes the next to midwicket and runs the two he needs to complete his century.
Not out!
The ball would have hit leg stump pretty firmly, but not quite emphatically enough to overturn the on-field decision.
REVIEW! Is Cook out here?
There’s an ultra-quiet appeal for lbw, a quick shake of the head from the umpire, but England decide to review all the same!
65th over: South Africa 238-3 (Cook 98, Duminy 0)
England launch a pretty half-hearted appeal for caught behind after the ball flies just past Cook’s bat and he whips his head round guiltily. The umpire’s not convinced, though, and there’s no review, wisely it seems. Signs, though, that Cook has realised he stands on the verge of a century on debut. He takes a step closer with a single, leaving de Villiers one ball to survive. He does not.
WICKET! De Villiers c Root b Broad 0 (South Africa 238-3)
ENGLAND CATCH THE BALL! De Villiers edges to second slip, where Root moves to his left to take a smart catch.
Broad's leg cutter does the trick. de Villiers caught second slip for second successive duck. Captaincy not doing him much good then!
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) January 22, 2016
Updated
64th over: South Africa 237-2 (Cook 97, De Villiers 0)
All the action, in the shape of a Cook single, a wicket and, well, a de Villiers leave, comes in the second half of the over.
WICKET! ENGLAND HAVE A WICKET! Amla b Stokes 109 (South Africa 237-2)
Finally, an edge that doesn’t need catching! Amla deflects the ball into leg stump with a thick inside edge, and England’s breakthrough has been made!
Updated
63rd over: South Africa 232-1 (Cook 96, Amla 109)
Broad continues, and Amla creams another glorious boundary past point for four. A final word from Dickie:
Shep insisted, ‘We’ve got to get this water away before we can carry on.’
I realised that, of course, but I still did not fancy facing the crowd as we trooped off, and sure enough they started having a go at me. I shouted back, ‘There’s nothing I can do about it, it’s the drains. There’s warter oozing up all over the place. You don’t need an umpire out there, you need a plumber.’
62nd over: South Africa 232-1 (Cook 96, Amla 105)
Four singles. There’s a minor scare as one of them with the stumps being clattered from distance, but Cook’s home, safe and sound. More from Dickie:
I shouted across to my colleague, David Shepherd, who was standing at square leg. ‘We’ve got problems here, Shep,’ I said. ‘There’s gallons of water oozing up.’
‘Throw some sawdust down, then,’ he suggested.
‘Sawdust?’ I replied. ‘We’ll need at least four lorryloads of the stuff and even then it might not be enough, mate. Better come and have a look for yourself.’
Shep ambled over, and almost immediately up came the water over his boots. ‘See what you mean, Dickie,’ he said. ‘We’ve got to take them off.’
‘What, and paddle about in bare feet?’ I chuckled.
‘Not the boots, you fool,’ he said. ‘The players, of course.’
I looked at him thunderstruck. ‘What?’ I shuddered. ‘Take them off at Headingley? In a Test match? In the second over? Do you realise what you’re saying? The crowd will crucify me.’
61st over: South Africa 228-1 (Cook 94, Amla 103)
This is copied verbatim from Dickie Bird’s autobiography. Buy it now from all good bookshops. Second hand ones, probably.
Graham Gooch played Ambrose’s first four balls back to him. I shot my cuffs, hunched my shoulders, twitched, then stood motionless as Curtly prepared for the fifth delivery. It never came. I stood there waiting and wondering where on earth he was. Then I heard him shout, from about halfway down his run-up, ‘Oh, Mr Dickie, we’ve got big problems here, man.’
I said, ‘There can’t be any problems. Come on, Amby, get on with it.’
He gestured to me, saying, ‘Come and have a look here, man.’
I walked to where he was standing and I could not believe what I saw. Water was oozing up over his boots, and he was paddling about in it. I just stared down in amazement, giving my famous Victor Meldrew impression. ‘I don’t believe it,’ I gasped.
‘You’d better believe it, man,’ he said.
60th over: South Africa 225-1 (Cook 92, Amla 102)
Woof! Cook takes a risky single and would have been run out had Broad hit the stumps from cover. He didn’t. “Didn’t a similar thing happen to curtley Ambrose at Headingly once?” asks Paddy Murphy. “I recall there’s an amusing story to go with it involving Mr H D “Dicky” Bird but can’t remember what it is!” It did, back in 1988. More details to follow.
59th over: South Africa 224-1 (Cook 91, Amla 102)
Broad gets the final session under way, and Amla edges! But it doesn’t carry to first slip! “You’re joking!” exclaims the bowler. It is, on the plus side, a maiden. “Rats! The spell didn’t work properly,” complains Robin Hazlehurst. “The mystery well was supposed to bubble up under the batsmen’s feet but after they’d come back out after the tea break. Close but no banana in both time and space, like England’s fielding, you can tell it’s a dead rubber. Oh well.
“p.s. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not actually serious, I did not cast a spell on the pitch and nor did anyone else that I know of.”
The players are back out. There’s quite a lot of sawdust on the field, which everyone seems happy to ignore. Play!
An update from Mike Selvey. I fear it might be optimistic to expect a scattering of sawdust to do the trick, but then I haven’t seen how much has been used.
Much sawdust spreading and players being called out by umps.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) January 22, 2016
The boggy patch is not far from the wicket. Groundsmen keep swishing water off it with swishy broomlike things, but it just keeps bubbling back up. Incredible scenes.
Mystery water stops play
There’s a gaggle of groundstaff on the field trying to deal with a patch of bogginess, perhaps three feet square, which has muddy water bubbling up out of it. The players have as a result been ordered back off the field.
Hello again everyone. The players are putting their cups back on their saucers and heading out after tea. England need … well … something. Catching practice springs to mind.
TEA
58th over: South Africa 224-1 (Cook 91, Amla 102)
More short stuff from Stokes, with a full ball thrown in (not literally, ICC) for good measure. The penultimate ball is full and swings in late, but Amla is right in behind it. That’s tea – 117 runs in the session. No wickets. England have been very poor. That’s it from me - I’ll be back with you on Sunday. Simon Burnton will be in position soon to take you through to stumps.
Updated
57th over: South Africa 223-1 (Cook 91, Amla 101)
A double bowling change with Moeen Ali replacing Woakes. He’s around the wicket to Cook, who shows a bit of finesse to thread him through the offside for two.
56th over: South Africa 22-1 (Cook 89, Amla 101)
Ben Stokes replaces James Anderson and tests out the middle of the pitch. Amla doesn’t bite, though, and ducks under them.
55th over: South Africa 221-1 (Cook 89, Amla 101)
A maiden – Woakes’ second of the innings. Better from Woakes but, again, Cook wasn’t particularly flustered. The other Cook looks fed up.
“Can we already blame the ball for this?” I think we can, Ian Copestake. “Beefy is usually pretty quick to open up that debate.”
Bloody Kookaburras...
54th over: South Africa 221-1 (Cook 89, Amla 101)
Cook defends a couple and then pulls to square leg for a single to bring Amla back on strike. He’s been on 99 for a while and... he’s got 100 with a timed defensive shot to a vacant mid on! Wonder hundred: number 25 in his Test career, from 131 balls. A sixth against England, too.
53rd over: South Africa 217-1 (Cook 88, Amla 99)
Cook plays and misses at a wide one. Woakes sticking it outside off hoping for that kind of drop in concentration. Then he messes his length and Cook hammers him in front of square - in fact, inside Broad at midwicket – for four. Lovely shot through the covers finds the off side sweeper (Compton) for a single.
A quick reminder of England's recent record in dead rubbers: LDDLLL. Haven't won one since India in 2011.
— Jonathan Liew (@jonathanliew) January 22, 2016
52nd over: South Africa 213-1 (Cook 83, Amla 99)
Anderson hangs the ball outside off stump, borderline wide, tempting Amla to chase that one run he needs for his hundred. The third is even wider! The fourth, not so bad. And the fifth is angled into the stumps, which Amla plays back to the bowler. Maiden.
51st over: South Africa 213-1 (Cook 83, Amla 99)
Amla tries to force one into the legside and, well, he does in the end but it’s a high risk aerial flick for just one run. Broad, at midwicket, thinks he’s in the game, but can only bat the ball down after it’s bounced a couple of times. That’s all from the over.
If I were Alastair Cook I would ask Broad to do one of those spells where he takes 6-17 again.
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) January 22, 2016
50th over: South Africa 212-1 (Amla 98, Cook 83)
“Good skills,” says Ian Botham, as Anderson does kick ups with the ball before catching it. “With his feet, at least,” chips Michael Atherton. Loose shot from Cook, and there haven’t been many, as he drives poorly and inside edges but past his stumps (and Bairstow) for four. Another dab into the legside brings Amla back on strike, who swishes through cover for a single. Some in the crowd thought that might have been the ton, but Samit Patel (sub) is out at a wide (steady) third man.
49th over: South Africa 204-1 (Cook 76, Amla 97)
Outswinger to start but easily negotiated by Cook, who rides what bounce there is to drop the ball into the legside for a single. Amla does the same, but whips his wrists at the point of contact to get it in front of midwicket for two. That’s the team 200. Woakes’ first over back ends with a four through midwicket.
A bowling change...
Ground announcer welcomes Woakes back to the attack by pointing out he has conceded 52 from nine overs. Big spell for him.
— Rory Dollard (@thervd) January 22, 2016
48th over: South Africa 197-1 (Cook 75, Amla 91)
Cook’s scoring as slowed but he’s still alert to the single, which he finds just wide of the cover fielder. Amla sees out the last three deliveries. No swing and little bounce for Anderson.
Cook already has more runs in this series than van Zyl. The next and best banter will come when he reaches 104.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) January 22, 2016
47th over: South Africa 196-1 (Amla 91, Cook 74)
A couple of fours from Amla, as Moeen mixes up his lengths to no avail. A full toss is bunted through mid on before a full ball outside off stump is firmly caressed through cover. I don’t know - give Compton a bowl?
Updated
46th over: South Africa 188-1 (Amla 83, Cook 74)
Just the single from the over as Hashim The Dream watches all but the first ball from the nonstriker’s end. Cook just shuffles across and dabs into the legside and, for a moment, I’m stuck in a mesmerising loop. And then the umpire calls over and I’m free.
45th over: South Africa 187-1 (Cook 74, Amla 82)
England already well behind the game and we’re only halfway through day one. Cook gets a single, Amla gets the strike and Ali gets hit for four – a wristy thwack through cover. Whatever turn is there just bores Amla, it seems. That’s 152 between the pair from 207 balls.
44th over: South Africa 181-1 (Cook 73, Amla 77)
One off the over, and South Africa reach the day’s halfway point in delirious control, with a world of infinite possibility opening up in front of them. Or something. Vithushan’s coming back now to take you through to tea. Back in a bit!
43rd over: South Africa 180-1 (Cook 72, Amla 77)
Nice shot from Amla, who works a pretty short ball wide of midwicket, where the fielder sprints round in an attempt to cut it off, dives and misses it by an inch. Perfectly judged.
Now Anderson will come back for a quick bowl before drinks.
42nd over: South Africa 175-1 (Cook 71, Amla 73)
For the second successive over Amla crunches the opening delivery to the rope. Nice shot. This time, though, he stops there.
41st over: South Africa 171-1 (Cook 71, Amla 69)
So much for the brakes. Stokes bowls, and Amla thwacks the first through midwicket for four, while the rest come in ones and a three. Time for the big reveal: as it happens our artist was also playing in that match between Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Stars, but on the losing side. It’s Michael Carberry! And here’s his latest effort:
40th over: South Africa 162-1 (Cook 68, Amla 63)
Moeen bowls. Four singles.
@Simon_Burnton if it's Rihanna I guess it must be Chris Jordan as he went to school with her, though that might conflate recent with current
— Miranda Jollie (@hanwellknitter) January 22, 2016
@Simon_Burnton I guess it could be erstwhile Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor probably drawn by Freddie on the night of the pedalo incident
— Darren (@DarrenMWinter) January 22, 2016
Time for the answer, I feel …
39th over: South Africa 158-1 (Cook 66, Amla 61)
Just the one run from Stokes’ over, so some element of brakage has been applied. Jack Russell’s paintings are not cheap. Not cheap at all. This self-portrait costs £15,000. Fifteen thousand pounds.
Updated
38th over: South Africa 157-1 (Cook 65, Amla 61)
Moeen comes on, and Amla gets a couple. “Is it a picture of famed artistic/cricketer Jack Russell, by his Jack Russell?” wonders Matt Delargy. Similarly (kind of), Richard Harman suggests it must be “Rihanna by … surely it must be Jack Russell.” It’s not by Jack Russell.
Updated
37th over: South Africa 155-1 (Cook 65, Amla 59)
Stokes bowls, Cook hits through the covers for four. “I’m still suffering from brief moments of misdirection every time I check the OBO for the latest score were I end up thinking that England have got off to a flyer batting first due to South Africa having the bare faced cheek to pick an opener called Cook,” writes Neil Toolan. “Can you please change his name to ‘Stephen’ or something else to stop this dastardly deception (or conjure his dismissal from your desk in KX, but I guess that would be a request to far).” Has Alex Hales got time to officially change his name to Amla before England bat? At this rate, probably.
36th over: South Africa 151-1 (Cook 61, Amla 59)
No boundaries in this over, which is something. “The hair is definitely Broad but the face looks more like Woakes, especially the eyes,” writes Robin Hazlehurst. “So who has been dreaming of a composite England fast bowler who could combine the best of both? Or the worst of both perhaps? Answer A, Andrew Strauss, answer B, KP.” Pietersen, since you mention him, has just scored a 36-ball 62 for Melbourne Stars, who are heading to victory in their BBL encounter with Perth Scorchers.
35th over: South Africa 148-1 (Cook 58, Amla 59)
This is one-sided stuff, the ball whizzing off the bat and pretty much every attacking stroke getting fully rewarded. Amla hits another couple of fours from Woakes’ first two deliveries, and then relaxes for most of the remainder of the over.
“Pretty confident that the subject is Rihanna and that the artist is Martin McCague,” writes Paul Callinan. “Note: I have assumed that by ‘recent’ you mean in the last 25 years.” You’re right on one count, but not the other. And yes, he very comfortably fits into your definition of recent. With extraordinary comfort. Like a well-padded sun-lounger on a sub-dappled beach while someone wafts palm fronds to keep you cool and someone else holds a straw to your lips so you can slurp pina colada without sitting up, that level of comfort.
Updated
34th over: South Africa 138-1 (Cook 58, Amla 49)
From Broad’s first delivery Cook flays the ball past cover for four to take himself to a half-century, deliriously received by the audience, including his air-punching father. Then he edges the third to a vacant third man for four more.
@Simon_Burnton Is it Steve Strange out of Visage? https://t.co/ov1G0pRY09
— Darren (@DarrenMWinter) January 22, 2016
Updated
33rd over: South Africa 128-1 (Cook 49, Amla 48)
Amla spears Woakes’ final delivery through the covers for four. “I’m taking it that the picture is of Rihanna, although given this is only apparent if you squint with one eye, I’m hoping whichever recent cricketer drew it hasn’t pinned his financial planning on a lucrative art career,” writes David Hopkins.
32nd over: South Africa 124-1 (Cook 49, Amla 44)
Another chance goes a-beggin’! Broad bowls, Cook edges and Bairstow goes a little late and gets a bit of glove-webbing on the ball! The keeper moved to his left just as the ball was being deflected to his right, leaving himself just short. Not sure why he was heading that way. Unlike the first drop, when all Bairstow achieved was to distract Cook, this was his catch. “That is a drawing of Stuart Broad by Hashim Amla,” suggests Dan Gevaux. “Those two get on like a house on fire (apparently).”
31st over: South Africa 120-1 (Cook 46, Amla 43)
Amla, having faced 32 fewer deliveries, is on the verge of overtaking Cook, twice hitting through the covers for four. Another delivery flicks his hip before heading down the leg side, making this the (joint) most expensive over of the day.
30th over: South Africa 108-1 (Cook 46, Amla 35)
An Amla single off Broad’s final ball is the extent of the run-scoring here. England’s afternoon-session improvement is just around the corner, surely. Meanwhile, name the subject of this drawing, and the (recent England international) artist?
The players are back out, we’re about to have some action. Brace yourselves.
Hello everyone! Here’s a remarkable fact to get the ball rolling:
Stephen Cook is the oldest man to open the batting on Test debut for any team since his father, Jimmy, in 1992.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) January 22, 2016
Updated
LUNCH
29th over: South Africa 107-1 (Cook 46, Amla 34)
Your typical spin before lunch over. A few shots to fielders, a very dabs into gaps where maybe a sharp single could have been taken. In the end, just one from the over – a leg bye – and it ends a fine session for South Africa and Stephen Cook. And that is lunch. Simon Burnton will be taking over after the break.
Updated
28th over: South Africa 106-1 (Cook 46, Amla 34)
Very compact from Cook, who defends his stumps well and then pushes Anderson through the covers for a couple.
And that's the highest score from a Cook in this series
— Derek Alberts (@derekalberts1) January 22, 2016
Matt Delargy responds to Ant Pease: “If we’re talking about who ruined cricket, for me it’s the fiends who took it off free telly. There was a time when I could tell you who was batting from a casual glance across the room: the angle of a batting stance, the flick of a ball through the covers. But now there are whole careers that I have followed entirely in text-format, and I wouldn’t recognise the player if he was standing beside me in the queue for the 187 bus. Add to that the fact that I’m not missing England being rubbish, I’m missing England being really quite good, and the whole thing becomes desperately poignant. Oh and having kids, they ruined cricket a bit. Something as simple as finding a clear five day run to watch a game is now almost impossible.”
27th over: South Africa 104-1 (Cook 44, Amla 34)
Moeen Ali returns and Amla drives him twice down the ground. The first is straight to Alex Hales at a deep mid off but the second is slightly to his left, allowing a single to be taken. Cook then gets low and dabs the ball around the corner for three, before Amla beats four fielders with a crisply struck four through midwicket.
26th over: South Africa 96-1 (Cook 41, Amla 29)
Cook confident enough to defend outside off stump and punch into the covers for no run. The final ball from Anderson is short and Cook, getting his hands out of the way, decides to wear it on the chest, where it leaves a bright red mark.
25th over: South Africa 96-1 (Cook 41, Amla 29)
Just a single from that over. Whatever movement Stokes is getting is being blunted by these two batsmen. Cook is leaving like his namesake and Amla is picking up runs at will. England continuing their trend of being naff in the games that don’t matter.
24th over: South Africa 94-1 (Cook 40, 28)
Anderson comes into the attack and Amla replays that shot of a few overs ago, where he simply stands there and throws his hands at a full ball to get it racing away through point. Ant Pease thinks England are ruining cricket: “Cricket was so much easier to follow back when England were rubbish. It used to be genuinely relaxing to switch on TMS and calmly listen to the bowling getting flayed for 300 runs in a day, unfettered by life’s little burdens such as hope or enjoyment. But no more. Hamstrung by the suffocating weight of expectation, I find myself glancing furtively at the score in the minimised Cricinfo window at the bottom of my screen, frantically F5ing the OBO at the end of each over to see why England didn’t take a wicket or checking to see when the highlights are on, so that I can make sure I’m home to watch them.
“Thank you, England. Just by being good, you’ve ruined cricket for me.”
23rd over: South Africa 89-1 (Cook 40, Amla 23)
Cook knows where his pads and leg stump are. We do, too, given how keen England are to bowl to him there. After a single to midwicket off the first ball, he gets four through their four balls later, as Stokes gets his line wrong.
22nd over: South Africa 83-1 (Cook 35, Amla 22)
Amla getting into his stride with two through the covers off the back foot and then a single to fine leg. Cook then clips for four through midwicket as Woakes strays onto his pads. Amla finishes the over flogging Woakes through cover point.
21st over: South Africa 71-1 (Cook 30, Amla 15)
Stokes looking for those wonder deliveries - and finding a few. However, Cook is equal to them: digging out a booming inswinging yorker. Maiden.
20th over: South Africa 71-1 (Cook 30, Amla 15)
Better from Woakes. Even has an appeal, as Cook jumps across his stumps and is clipped just under the thigh guard. It wasn’t the most vociferous appeal - the ball was only clipping leg stump - but promising, nonetheless.
19th over: South Africa 70-1 (Cook 30, Amla 15)
Good movement from Stokes, who gets the ball to move in late to the right handers. But Cook is equal to the task, playing the ball late and even managing to pick a single to midwicket. Amla then follows an outswinger to carve it through cover point for four. Stokes kicks the turf in wonderful northern disgust.
18th over: South Africa 65-1 (Cook 29, Amla 11)
Poor from Woakes so far: not really found his length and is being punished accordingly. Ten off three balls as Amla flays through point, gets a bit of a hip down to the fine leg boundary and then a back foot punch for two.
17th over: South Africa 54-1 (Cook 28, Amla 5)
Ben “Makes Things Happen” Stokes is brought into the attack and immediately makes something happen. That something is an edge off Amla which A.Cook drops at first slip. Bairstow dived across the England captain, but it as definitely slip’s catch. I think.
Love a good Stokes slip-drop. They must practise them for hours
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) January 22, 2016
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A hello and welcome to Sara Torvalds, who has joined us from quite chilly climes...
Bring on #SAvENG, I'm not going outdoors! #cricket #minus25 #Finland #FinnsForFinn #GetWellFinny pic.twitter.com/iNf2FvSKGm
— Sara Torvalds (@SaraxCricket) January 22, 2016
16th over: South Africa 50-1 (Cook 28, Amla 1)
Another four to Cook: no great flourish, he just uses the pace on the ball to time through the legside. He looks a very accomplished played, does their Cook. Everything starts and finishes on off stump. Leaves and all.
15th over: South Africa 45-1 (Cook 24, Amla 0)
A good four balls from Ali after drinks is ruined by Cook, who flicks away through midwicket for four.
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14th over: South Africa 41-1 (Cook 20, Amla 0)
A half volley from Woakes is put away easily through the covers by Cook. He gets off strike next ball, with a push off the back foot through the covers for Amla to see out the over.
13th over: South Africa 36-1 (Cook 15, Amla 0)
Maiden from Ali, as Amla plays him with a straight bat all the way through. Robin Hazlehurst reckons that’s one of the best OBO jinxes he’s ever seen. I’m inclined to agree. Robin also offers this glorious moment from an England v Sri Lanka ODI a few moons ago. Take it away, Sir Ian...
12th over: South Africa 36-1 (Cook 15, Amla 0)
Krishnan Patel, you of the 9th over – what say you?! Oh, here you are: “The tactic has worked. As a quicker bowler (or slow one according to AB) Anderson was training Taylor for that catch all along. The bowling unit in every sense of the word.” Chris Woakes into the attack – just one from his over. We’ve got more for you, Krishnan: “Well, that’s one miracle down, 9 more to go,” writes James Greene.
11th over: South Africa 35-1 (Cook 15, Amla 0)
Ali replaces Anderson and starts around the wicket to Elgar. The first few deliveries are played well and then Elgar is on his way after, well, I don’t really know. Caught by short leg, I suppose.
Caught by short-leg's middle stump
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) January 22, 2016
ANOTHER sensational piece of fielding by @jamestaylor20 gives #ENG their first wicket. Elgar gone for 20 #SAvENG pic.twitter.com/49tRZXxIVr
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) January 22, 2016
WICKET! Elgar c Taylor b Ali 20 (South Africa 35-1)
Elgar dances down the wicket to Ali and gets an inside edge as he tries to clear midwicket. Taylor, who skips down with Elgar, is hit by the ball, which somehow manages to stay in his person. As the ball drops through him, Taylor has his wits about him to trap the ball between his left ankle and right thigh, before getting the ball in his hand and running off. Unreal.
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10th over: South Africa 35-0 (Cook 15, Elgar 20)
That man at leg slip comes into play, but Cook drops his hands on a ball aimed at his hip and gets four easily. Broad’s straying a bit, but more in the pursuit to make something happen rather than insolence. Talk about a change – Moeen Ali is on to bowl the next over...
9th over: South Africa 28-0 (Cook 10, Elgar 18)
“Are England seriously using the “flick-off-the-pad-and-taylor-pulls-off-a-miracle” as a tactic?” I think so, Krishnan Patel. “It’s the only way to explain some of the bowling so far. A newbie to test cricket, a new ball and decent pitch and we do this. Unbelievable!” If it makes you feel any better – and, inevitably, it won’t – it doesn’t seem to be a deliberate ploy. Just bad bowling. Cook playing Anderson fairly easily now – two from the over.
.@Vitu_E looks like AB was right about Anderson :-)
— John Dunnet (@AgileJohn) January 22, 2016
8th over: South Africa 26-0 (Cook 8, Elgar 18)
High class from Broad: his fourth ball is an angled seam delivery that cuts off the surface and away from Elgar, who didn’t read it at all. The next delivery is short and Elgar pulls high and handsome over midwicket for four. Read that well enough.
7th over: South Africa 22-0 (Elgar 14, Cook 8)
Anderson around the wicket now. One last go and a change from that end? You’d think so. Elgar hooks Anderson high behind square leg and it’s only a fine stop from Woakes that saves two runs. Tuck off the legs brings Cook on strike and Anderson beats him with his best delivery so far: forcing Cook to off the full face of his bat but beating him at the last moment.
Yup. He made it to Pretoria, too... pic.twitter.com/qNtSY7sXpv
— Jonathan Agnew (@Aggerscricket) January 22, 2016
6th over: South Africa 19-0 (Cook 8, Elgar 11)
Apologies if you’ve been having trouble emailing it: turns out I need the “casual” at the end of my name.surname email address. Should be working now. A two to square leg for Cook bring the only runs of the over. Here’s David Moore: “Interesting point from Robin Hazlehurst. Perhaps E&W should alternate depending on whether they’re playing at an English Test ground or at Sophia Gardens? And to balance it up in the winter they could maybe play LoMF at the SCG on account of it being, erm, in New South Wales?”
5th over: South Africa 17-0 (Cook 6, Elgar 11)
A second four to Elgar and it’s a third leg stump half-volley from Anderson that has been put away. It’s enough for Cook (Alastair, that is) to order James Taylor back to an orthodox square leg position.
“England have already won today in my eyes by their trip to Mamelodi Cricket Club on Wednesday,” writes Ian Copestake. “Heart-warming stuff.” Well said. Here’s that story, if you missed it.
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4th over: South Africa 13-0 (Cook 6, Elgar 7)
Broad gets the chance to have a go at Cook, as Elgar pinches another single into the legside. Cook has short leg and a leg slip for company, as Broad looks to use the batsman’s movement over to off stump to his advantage. Cook leaves well.
3rd over: South Africa 12-0 (Cook 6, Elgar 6)
Better line and length from Anderson: Elgar’s edge is beaten convincingly as the ball moves across him, but he’s allowed to get off strike with a nudge between short leg and mid on.
Robin Hazlehurst makes some valid points here: “I know we always talk about England, but is the cricket team strictly speaking England AND Wales? This is vitally important because of the implications for the anthem. Now that the House of Parliament has taken up the discussion of sporting anthems for English teams, where does the cricket stand? Because if it is actually England, then they can officially have Jerusalem, rather than just unofficially, but if it is strictly England&Wales then presumably they should have to use GSTQ officially. Though maybe it would permit them to use Land of My Fathers, meaning they would beat anyone (except perhaps France) in an anthem-off.”
2nd over: South Africa 11-0 (Cook 6, Elgar 5)
Stuart Broad, with the number one ranking on his back (not literally), takes the new ball from the other end. He’s on the stumps immediately and Cook brings himself forward and skews an inside edge beyond bat-pad for one. Around the wicket to Elgar and gets some steep bounce that leaves the left-hander – twice! Alastair Cook mentioned at the toss that he felt there was some moisture in the surface and that’s contributing to those deliveries. The over ends with a single as Elgar awkwardly flips a bouncer off the outside edge of his bat and into the legside. Far from convincing. Good start from Broad.
1st over: South Africa 9-0 (Cook 5, Elgar 4)
Stephen Cook gets off in Test cricket with a four: a very loose delivery from James Anderson is clipped through square leg with ease. His father, Jimmy Cook, lasted only one delivery on debut (c Tendulkar b Dev). Anderson finds his form with a ball that beats the outside edge of Cook, who manages a single later with a timed push through cover. Not wishing to leave Elgar out, Anderson offers him a leg-stump half volley which is put away for another four.
@Vitu_E Favourite dead rubber? Oval, 1993. 300+ in day (big deal then), Fraser's return, run machine Boon LBW shouldering arms to Watkin
— Chris Langmead (@chrislangmead) January 22, 2016
For those keeping score, that’s a comprehensive 4-0 win to South Africa in the national anthems.
England, with some hearty travelling support, have acquitted themselves well and put their words in the right areas, but have been trumped time and time again by operatic accompaniment. Anderson is going through his pre-bowling routines and Stephen Cook will face the first ball...
@Vitu_E My favourite #deadrubber belongs to Field Major Styre in "The Sontaran Experiment" (1975). It's a Doctor Who thing.
— Darren (@DarrenMWinter) January 22, 2016
Early thread idea – what’s your favourite dead rubber?
My favourite England dead rubber win is probably 1997 at the Oval. @philtufnell taking 11-93 as the Aussies failed to make 124 @Vitu_E
— Steve Pye (@1980sSportsBlog) January 22, 2016
Mine is India.
Never too early for grim puns
@Vitu_E there were some hardus decisions to make, and SA did a fair bit of faffing around, but they didn't want the series to piedter out
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) January 22, 2016
SOUTH AFRICA WIN THE TOSS AND WILL BAT
Alastair Cook calls heads, it’s tails and AB de Villiers wants “to do the basics well” with the bat this morning. South Africa have made FIVE changes, the most notable being that Faf du Plessis is dropped for JP Duminy and Stephen Cook comes in for Stiaan van Zyl, who’s had a wretched series. Cook (Ali) confirms that Chris Woakes comes in for Steven Finn.
SOUTH AFRICA: D Elgar, SC Cook, HM Amla, AB de Villiers*, JP Duminy, T Bavuma, Q de Kock†, KJ Abbott, M Morkel, K Rabada, DL Piedt
ENGLAND: AN Cook*, AD Hales, NRD Compton, JE Root, JWA Taylor, BA Stokes, JM Bairstow†, MM Ali, CR Woakes, SCJ Broad, JM Anderson
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Good morning OBOists: Vithushan here to take you on the magical mystery tour of this dead-rubber Test match.
England don’t have the best record in dead-rubber matches. But, boy, give them a live-rubber, and you’ll be sorry! Still, there has been a fair bit of excitement going into this match at Super Sport Park. From an English perspective, the top three need runs and, in the absence of Steven Finn, a new bowler has to come in and do a job. It’s likely to be Chris Woakes, who played the first Test and bowled well for little reward, but the romantic yearns for the extra pace, arms and legs of Mark Footitt.
As for South Africa, AB de Villiers has played some shots off the field: England have issues with their batting line-up and James Anderson is not at his best being the main AB de tidbits circulating in the media. He’s not wrong, of course. But oooooo *waves fist* what is he like?? Toss on the way.
Vithushan will be with you shortly. Whilst you wait, have a read of Mike Selvey’s take on the final Test in Pretoria.
These days it is hard to tell whether a match such as this Test in Centurion is the end of the long haul or near the start of the next campaign. The circus always has the big top erected somewhere it seems.
This will be the 17th and final Test match that England have played in the sequence since the first Test in Antigua in the middle of last April. But it is also the third of the 17 they will have played by Christmas this calendar year. That will be a total of 31 Test matches in 20 months. No wonder Stuart Broad is taking more Test wickets than anyone else these days.
Having demolished South Africa at The Wanderers, England have, of course, already won the series. The South Africans have been disappointing, and have missed the inspiration that is Dale Steyn. But the reality is their batting has been substandard against persistent high quality England bowling. It is too much of a cliche to say all they have left to play for is pride (are not all players already doing that when representing their country?) but they do need to be seen to make a better fist of it. To this end they have brought in a new opener in Stephen Cook, son of Jimmy, who apart from anything else made a stack of runs for Somerset, and there will be a return for Quinton de Kock, whose bizarre dog-walking accident kept him out of the last match. Sadly, we shall not be seeing any more of Hardus Viljoen, and quite possibly nor will any other Test team: he will definitely reflect that he may just have peaked too early.
For the full article, click here.
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