That’s it for the day - the umpires have decided to call it quits for day three. Join us tomorrow for an 8:04am GMT start time. Yes, really...
Good bye from me!
Stumps have been removed, that's that....SA 42/1 they lead by 175 runs. Play starts at 10.04 am. Not 10am, 10.04am. Jirre cricket...
— stuart hess (@shockerhess) January 24, 2016
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Can’t imagine it’ll get brighter so that may be it for the day. The umpires are deliberating in the middle and are casting some cold glances to the TV production assistants who are getting the sponsors boards ready for the post-stumps interviews.
Cricket is so batshit crazy. Just been told we can play until EIGHTEEN mins past six. Not 18:15, 18:20, 18:30. JUST 18:18.
— Antoinette Muller (@mspr1nt) January 24, 2016
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BAD LIGHT STOPPED PLAY - South Africa lead by 15
17th over: South Africa 42-1 (Cook 23, Amla 16)
Ali’s around the wicket, too. Not much to report under the final ball, which Cook leaves, thinking the ball has pitched outside leg. It hasn’t – in fact, it’s pitched on middle and leg – and hits Cook’s pad very straight on. End of the over and the umpires have decided to take the players off in the deteriorating light.
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16th over: South Africa 42-1 (Cook 23, Amla 16)
Looks like Dharmasena might have “offered” the light because we’ve got spin from both ends now with Joe Root. If Cook had insisted on a quick bowler, we would have come off. Root, around the wicket to the right handed Amla, fires three down the legside. Two byes to start with, then two dots before Amla flashes one past legslip (no chance of a catch) for four.
Injury nes: Abbott has tight hamstring. Participation in match depends on reaction to treatment #SunfoilTest #SAvENG pic.twitter.com/QTpKmxOGrS
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) January 24, 2016
15th over: South Africa 36-1 (Cook 23, Amla 12)
Ali comes into the attack as Kumar Dharmasena checks the light. Looking gloomy out in the middle. Bit of spin, just one single worked into the legside for Amla. Jeremy Boyce emails in, after a pretty glorious lunch: “I’m wondering if i’ve overdone it on the mushrooms there, as we seem to have time-slipped, with Woakes bowling the same over twice. Perhaps it’s for real, I reckon we either need to bring on a timelord or Davros to be sure of bagging Amla. or maybe we should play them at the trilogic game, i’m sure Cook could out-think de Villiers over 1400 moves....”
14th over: South Africa 35-1 (Cook 23, Amla 11)
Plan in action: fine leg slip in, James Taylor under the helmet, Ben Stokes bowling short. Cook hops to two deliveries and manages to keep them down. Then just past the outside edge. And drinks...
13th over: South Africa 35-1 (Cook 23, Amla 11)
Woakes persists with an offside channel before going at Amla who picks up one to square leg. The penultimate ball of the over squares Cook up and gets him high on the bat (maybe glove). Ends poorly though, drifting on leg stump and is flicked around the corner for another single.
12th over: South Africa 33-1 (Cook 22, Amla 10)
Stokes moving the ball into the right-handers, but the line allows Cook to leave and then a slip in length allows the debutant to help him around around the corner for a four. Full and quick for the fifth delivery, but this time it moves too much! The final delivery takes off but Cook avoids it outside off stump.
11th over: South Africa 28-1 (Cook 18, Amla 9)
Chris Woakes replaces Anderson. Finds a good length with his second ball, which has Amla neither forward nor back and almost squares him up. Single pinched into the legside, as Stuart Broad, not the fleetest fielder,ducks down to pick and throw, as Cook makes it to the striker’s end. Over ends with a poor ball from Woakes – short, wide, four.
Stephen Cook is so organised at the crease. I wish he'd fix my life.
— Sibongile Mafu (@sboshmafu) January 24, 2016
10th over: South Africa 23-1 (Cook 14, Amla 8)
Ben Stokes into the attack and he immediately sticks one on Amla. His first delivery pops up off a length and crashes into the right thumb (the bottom) and Amla yelps in pain. Straightaway the glove comes off and the phsyio makes his way out. It looks like the nail has come away and there’s a bit of blood. After a few minutes, Amla faces back up and is struck in front: big appeal from the cordon but nothing from the bowler, who chases into the legside to field the ball.
Plan B: if you can't catch him, maim him. #Amla #SAvENG
— daniel norcross (@norcrosscricket) January 24, 2016
9th over: South Africa 22-1 (Cook 14, Amla 7)
Amla gets a single off the first ball and, after a bit of pressure, Cook gets one too, benefitting from a poor error from Nick Compton at point, who allows the ball to pass underneath his dive.
8th over: South Africa 19-1 (Cook 12, Amla 6)
Broad gets one to cut through Cook, who exhales into the stump microphone as he doubles over, almost as if it was a punch in the gut. An inside edge then clatters into his boot before he fnishes the over with a lovely shot off the back foot, through cover for four.
7th over: South Africa 15-1 (Cook 8, Amla 6)
Amla hasn’t quite got his timing right and England’s close-in fielders are enticed every time he cocks his bat. A shot into the offside cannons off the inside edge but safely into the legside for two. Right behind the final ball.
6th over: South Africa 13-1 (Cook 8, Amla 4)
Calm and composed from Cook (CTRL+V). Broad is back of a length but Cook manages to control the ball, even while moving back as he plays the shot.
5th over: South Africa 13-1 (Cook 8, Amla 4)
Cook gets off strike, riding the bounce and dropping the first ball into the legside. Amla finds the offside fielders and then pierces the slip cordon to get off the mark! It was an outswinger by Jimmy but just out of the reach of third slip.
Elgar goes to complete a rotten series for South Africa's opening partnerships - 0, 53, 7, 44, 23, 35, 5 167 runs Average 23.9 #SAvENG
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 24, 2016
4th over: South Africa 8-1 (Cook 7, Amla 0)
Excellent from Cook: Broad punished for drifting onto middle and leg which bring three after good work from Hales to save the boundary. That delivery aside, there’s a good flow to this Broad over. Amla sees it out, but not convincingly.
3rd over: South Africa 5-1 (Cook 4, Amla 0) - lead of 138
Anderson goes around the wicket to Elgar and gets him second ball. Hashim The Dream comes to the crease: 109 in the first innings – what does he have for us here? At the moment, some nice, compact defensive shots.
WICKET! Elgar c Bairstow b Anderson 1 (South Africa 5-1)
Belter, from Jimmy - around the wicket to the left-hander, gets one to leave him late and takes the edge through to Bairstow...
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2nd over: South Africa 5-0 (Cook 4, Elgar 1)
Real loosener from Stuart Broad allows Elgar to get off the mark. Should have got more than a single for it, though: short, wide and slow, that could have been thwacked through cover or midwicket for a few. Movement from Broad off the pitch, as Cook plays one that shapes in and leaves him. Ends with a beast: quick, short and Cook jumps before trying to adopt the foetal position in mid-air.
1st over: South Africa 4-0 (Cook 4, Elgar 0)
“Those tremors or memories from Johannesburg could come flooding back,” says Michael Atherton, as Stephen Cook leaves the first two deliveries from James Anderson as the third innings of this Test gets underway. The scoring begins with a lovely cut shot by Cook, which he nails in front of point for four.
Since start of 2015, Eng bats have made 63 50+ scores in Test. Converted just 21% into tons. Only WI & Bang lower if my maths right #SAvENG
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) January 24, 2016
Tell you what, there are worse 6.6 bets around...
Eng still in the game, just, but need Wanderers type inspiration with the ball.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) January 24, 2016
SOUTH AFRICA LEAD BY 133 RUNS
... and are expected to face about 30-overs this evening. Rabada almost had to be helped up the stairs after his 29 overs, seven for 112. I make it about five minutes for the changeover.
Youngest to take 7 wkts in an inns for SA: K Rabada 20 yrs, 244 days M de Lange 21 yrs, 75 days.
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) January 24, 2016
WICKET! Ali c Piedt b Morkel 61 (England 342 all out)
Good move to bring Morne Morkel in to get rid of James Anderson, but he gets off strike with a long single through cover. Ali then tries to hit him over the top but can only find Piedt, who is patrolling deep cover.
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104th over: England 341-9 (Ali 61, Anderson 4)
Rabada’s still going. There are men out on the legside fence, which are brought into play as Ali pulls a short length delivery. No single taken, though. Rabada goes wide outside off stump but Ali decides to hold back from giving it the kitchen sink. Two balls left, the field comes in to stop the single and Ali goes over the top of point for four. Moeen has a go at one down the legside but no contact through to de Kock.
103rd over: England 336-9 (Ali 57, Anderson 4)
Duminy makes way for Piedt. Ali tries to dab him fine on the legside but totally misreads the length and the turn, meaning he can only get a leading edge on the ball, which sends it towards the left of where first slip is standing. However, first slip (Dean Elgar) reads the dab and begins to make his way behind the keeper and towards the legside. He stops and dives to his left but to no avail. Four. A bye gives Anderson the last three and, after the fielders are brought in, Jimmy dead bats the lot.
102nd over: England 331-9 (Ali 53, Anderson 4)
Rabada starting his 28th over. The desire is there but the nip is slowly seeping out of him. Ali can thrash across the line and through midwicket for his first fifty of the winter, from 90 balls. Have a blow, Kagiso...
The most overs Rabada has bowled in a first-class innings is 29.5 - and that came in this series, at Newlands. #SAvENG
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) January 24, 2016
If Rabada gets 10 wickets in this match he'll be the 12th youngest to do so in a Test
— Dan Lucas (@DanLucas86) January 24, 2016
101st over: England 326-9 (Ali 48, Anderson 4)
Ali takes the single on offer at deep square leg, allowing Anderson to face the relatively innocuous Duminy. The third ball, a long hop, is clattered through extra cover for four. Cannot wait to see Jimmy’s reverse sweep... but here’s the slog sweep first. Huge heave, miss and somehow the ball has missed off stump.
100th over: England 321-9 (Ali 47, Anderson 0)
Broad goes to the third ball of the over – on replay, it looks like the ball wasn’t short enough to hook, but Broad got a decent connection on it, right to the man on the square leg fence. There’s a bit of rain falling, as Ali punches down the ground. It looks four off the bat but some swift work across the ground from Temba Bavuma ensures it’s just a single. Anderson, face of thunder, manages to see out the over.
WICKET! Broad c Cook b Rabada 5 (England 320-9)
SEVEN FOR RABADA! Incredible – he’s got the best Test figures against England since readmission! Broad goes after a short ball and can only top edge. However, the ball still travels some distance and Cook takes the catch right on the square leg boundary.
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99th over: England 320-8 (Ali 46, Broad 5)
My word – first ball after tea and a chance is put down! A full toss from Duminy is punched hard and through Hashim Amla at short cover. Tough, no doubt, but should have been taken. The rest of the over is a bit of a mess. Some news from Kyle Abbott – he has injured his hamstring, reducing South Africa to three frontline bowlers. Expect to see a lot more from Duminy this session...
Moeen trying to injure Hash. Good thinking.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) January 24, 2016
Tea interval
98th over: England 318-8 (Moeen 45, Broad 4)
Well, that’s tea, with England trailing by 157. Vish will be here for the extended final session. Thanks for your company, bye!
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97th over: England 318-8 (Moeen 45, Broad 4) Moeen tickles a poor delivery from Duminy to the fine-leg boundary. Just one more over before tea
96th over: England 311-8 (Moeen 39, Broad 3) It’s spin from both ends, with Piedt on for Morkel. A lusty heave from Broad brings just a single, one of three from the over.
95th over: England 308-8 (Moeen 38, Broad 1) The increasingly fluent Moeen steers Duminy to third man for four more.
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94th over: England 303-8 (Moeen 34, Broad 0) A misfield from Rabada at mid-off gives Moeen four runs off Morkel. This is his highest score since the Ashes I think, and a sweet pull for four more takes England past 300.
“Well done, Rob,” says John Starbuck. “The curse of OBO strikes again. I was planning to have a glass of Primitivo and some tortellini for lunch during the tea break, but you’ve ruined it now so it looks like being a cheese sandwich instead.”
I blame myself.
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93rd over: England 295-8 (Moeen 26, Broad 0)
WICKET! England 295-8 (Woakes c Elgar b Duminy 26)
Chris Woakes plays for turn against the new bowler JP Duminy, and that’s a fatal mistake. Well, not fatal, but you know, it’s cost him his wicket. He pushed defensively at a delivery that went straight on from around the wicket to take the edge. It hit the keeper de Kock on the knee and looped up in the air for Elgar at slip to take an easy catch.
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92nd over: England 293-7 (Moeen 25, Woakes 25) Morkel replaces Abbott, who left the field looking a bit queasy after that previous over. Actually it seems he may have done something to his hamstring. Woakes greets Morkel with a high-class cover drive for four. He’s playing beautifully for a No9.
91st over: England 286-7 (Moeen 25, Woakes 18) A maiden from Piedt to Moeen. I thought that was tea, but I assume they have extended the session because of the rain.
90th over: England 286-7 (Moeen 25, Woakes 18) Woakes edges a big drive at the new bowler Abbott for four, wide of backward point. These are useful runs because they will delay South Africa’s third-innings declaration and so reduce the time England need to survive batting last. Will we have time for one more over before tea? You betcha.
89th over: England 282-7 (Moeen 25, Woakes 14) ‘Shaky’ Piedt comes into the attack, a slightly surprising move given Moeen’s strengths and weakness, and the newness of the ball. Moeen, on the run, swings Piedt’s second ball effortlessly over mid-off for four. That means England have avoided the follow-on that probably wouldn’t have been enforced anyway.
The next ball is a peach that rags off the straight to beat Moeen’s defensive push. Then Moeen dances down the track again to crunch another four through mid-on. No spinner is safe, when he sashays.
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88th over: England 274-7 (Moeen 17, Woakes 14) Rabada was desperate for one more over. “Look in your heart!” he implored AB de Villiers, who granted his request. Nothing happened in the over, though, and he will surely have a rest now. What a discovery he is, not just for South Africa but for Test cricket.
“That sure is a mighty follow-on score,” says Ian Copestake. “Almost as if it keeps getting bigger no matter how many runs England score, like one of those jazzy dolly shots Spielberg always used to do.”
87th over: England 273-7 (need 276 to avoid the follow-on; Moeen 16, Woakes 14) Woakes gets up on his toes to punch Morkel through the covers for four off the back foot. That’s a beautiful, Root-like stroke. He gets in all sorts of trouble with the next ball, a short one that was aimed for his snout. Woakes was caught in approximately 48 minds, and eventually the ball grazed his grille on the way through to de Kock.
86th over: England 267-7 (need 276 to avoid the follow-on; Moeen 16, Woakes 8) Moeen slashes Rabada past backward point for four, a thick edge that landed short of the fielder. There are around 20 minutes to tea, and England now look like they’ll avoid the follow on. But unless it rains significantly, they’ll probably have to survive around 110 overs in the fourth innings, a sizeable ask on a pitch offering low bounce.
@robsmyth0 re: 82nd over A "direct hut"? Typo or are you now spelling phonetically in the SA accent?
— paul (@pfon73) January 24, 2016
You’ve been watching Room 101, haven’t you.
85th over: England 262-7 (need 276 to avoid the follow-on; Moeen 12, Woakes 7) Morkel has an LBW appeal against Moeen turned down on the grounds that it wasn’t out in accordance with the laws of the game. It pitched outside leg. Moeen is beaten outside off stump later in the over. Nobody in world cricket wafts so elegantly at fresh air.
“Pretty sure that Stokes is the last first English all-rounder to score 400 runs and take 10 wickets in a series since Freddie in 2005?” says Tom Bowtell. “Averages of 66.66 and 28.5 better than Fred’s too.” True, although shouldn’t it be 400 and 20 to make it a proper all-round performance? Mind you only two England players have ever done that: Flintoff in 2005 and Tony Greig in the Caribbean in 1973-74. And most of the great allrounders never managed it.
84th over: England 260-7 (need 276 to avoid the follow-on; Moeen 10, Woakes 7) Woakes pulls Rabada confidently for four. Whatever some folk think about his bowling, surely everyone will agree that he is a seriously good player to have batting at No9.
“Deciding to play a riotously entertaining cameo at a time when your team is leaking wickets, struggling to reduce a massive deficit and in need of sensible solidity is definitely not a shortcut to greatness,” says Tom Adam. “Pah.”
Have you just come back to the future from 1971?
83rd over: England 253-7 (Moeen 9, Woakes 1) Woakes is dropped by de Kock! He flashed at a short ball from Morkel that took the top-edge on its way through, but the leaping de Kock could only tip it backwards and none of the slips were able to get to it in time.
82nd over: England 253-7 (Moeen 9, Woakes 1) That wicket came with the second new ball, which was taken by Rabada at the start of the over. England need 23 more to avoid the follow on. Ordinarily that wouldn’t happen in a Post Kolkata universe, but as Bumble says on Sky, these overhead conditions are very good for bowling. Rabada reinforces that with a beautiful outswinger that beats the new batsman Woakes, who then gets off the mark with a very dodgy single to de Villiers at midwicket. He would have been out with a direct hut.
WICKET! England 252-7 (Stokes c Amla b Rabada 33)
If you want a job done properly, get the kid to do it. Rabada has six wickets now! Stokes was tempted into the drive by a good delivery angled across him, and Amla took a comfortable catch at second slip. That was a riotously entertaining cameo from Stokes, 33 from 29 balls.
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81st over: England 252-6 (Stokes 33, Moeen 9) AB de Villiers continues with the old ball, and Stokes gives him cause to regret the decision. After a smear over mid-on for four, he charges Piedt and drives a glorious six down the ground. That 258 has given Stokes’s batting such authority, and we will surely reflect on this series as the time he took a shortcut towards greatness. He’s not there yet, but if he doesn’t achieve greatness we might as well all pack up and go home.
80th over: England 241-6 (Stokes 22, Moeen 9) Stokes blitzes a wide half-volley from Morkel through the covers for four. He has screeched to 22 from 21 balls, and now the second new ball is due. I would politely advise you to drop everything for the next half an hour, because this will be fun.
79th over: England 236-6 (Stokes 17, Moeen 9) Moeen needs a score, as his batting average is going in the wrong direction. You have to cut him a fair bit of slack as he has been England’s Polyfilla in the last year, but he is averaging something like 14 this winter.
Updated
78th over: England 236-6 (Stokes 17, Moeen 9) Stokes chips Morkel lazily over midwicket for four. You’d expect him to go hard at the second new ball, and there is an argument for not taking it while Stokes is in.
Stokes has the chance of breaking a few records in this match: most runs by an English No6 in a Test series, most runs by any No6 in a series of three or four Tests, highest strike rate by any batsman with 400 runs in a Test series.
77th over: England 232-6 (Stokes 13, Moeen 9) Piedt bowls the final ball of the over he started before the rain. Nothing happens.
In other news, here’s a shameless plug
Hello, Rob here again until tea. In sport, we often say that a strength can be a weakness. Occasionally the reverse is true too. This England team have a strong weakness: they are useless when they have already won the series. It’s not ideal, but, as all us 1990s English cricket vets will tell you, it could be worse.
Promising scenes at Centurion where the covers are being slowly but deliberately peeled off.
The news is that they will try and get play started in about 25 minutes time (12:15pm GMT).
The players have headed for shelter as the rest of the ground erect their own personal covers (umbrellas, I suppose). Will update you when I know more.
For now, head over to our BBL05 OBO, which is moving into squeaky bum time...
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RAIN STOPS PLAY (England 232-6)
That seemed to come from nowhere. The cameras were showing some clouds but, just like that, the heavens open and we’re off in the middle of this Dane Piedt over. He started with a full toss which was guided for four by Moeen Ali. The players are hanging around on the edge of the ground but there are a few big covers coming on.
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76th over: England 228-6 (Stokes 13, Ali 5)
A clip to midwicket for Stokes (single) and then a lovely push through the covers by Ali (three) get this Rabada over going. Stokes goes after a short ball for two more, rolling his wrists as the ball stays down through square leg. Rabada’s not happy and tries to force the issue and strays offline, allowing Stokes to work him around the corner for four.
The braai smoke at Centurion has finally made it gloomy enough that the lights are starting to come on.
— Antoinette Muller (@mspr1nt) January 24, 2016
75th over: England 218-6 (Stokes 6, Ali 2)
Abbott, around the wicket to the lefties, is ensuring there’s little width for Ali to go at. Every now and again, like his fourth ball here, he offers a bit of rope on a good length which Ali duly goes after. Luckily for the batsman, ball beats bat. Maiden.
74th over: England 218-6 (Stokes 6, Ali 2)
Rabada nearly picks up where he left off as a delivery sticks in the pitch and Ali inadvertently chips it towards AB de Villiers at a wide mid on. Luckily for Ali, de Villiers reacts late and is unable to make up the ground. The next two are played a bit closer to the body, allowing Ali to keep the ball on the deck. He ducks under a bouncer and then pushes a single off his hip.
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73rd over: England 217-6 (Stokes 6, Ali 1)
“What’s wrong with ‘Ask Alanis Morissette’?” asks Ask Dan Lucas. “If you need advice, she oughta know.” Ali and Stokes exchange singles as they try to clean up the mess England’s top-order made when they went away. Ali gets off strike with a tuck into the legside before Stokes straight drives – on the up – through the legs of Abbott for four.
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Afternoon (session), all. Vithushan here to pick up where Rob Smyth left off (yes, I’m feeling the pressure).
What a morning for Kagiso Rabada. Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali are your would-be saviours for now. The players are out in the middle and Kyle Abbott is scuffing out his run-up.
“Ask Greg Blewett?” says Selve. “Better than Ask Alanis Morissette.”
Lunch: England 211-6 (need 65 more to avoid the follow-on)
What a scintillating spell from Rabada. He has taken three for none in two overs. Twenty minutes ago the match was almost even. Now South Africa have effectively won the match. Thanks for your company, see you this afternoon. Vithushan Ehantharajah will be with you for the first hour after lunch. Ask Greg Blewett.
“For some reason I find it immensely satisfying to read a paragraph that ends with ‘Ask Greg Blewett,” says Peter Salmon. “I’d like to see more.”
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FIVE FOR RABADA!
WICKET! England 211-6 (Bairstow c de Kock b Rabada 0)
South Africa have found a superstar. Rabada gets his second five-for in as many Tests with the wicket of Jonny Bairstow, who tried to drop the gloves on a terrific off-cutter that followed him, brushed the thumb and was taken comfortably by de Kock.
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WICKET! England 211-5 (Taylor c de Kock b Rabada 14)
This is a poor stroke from James Taylor on the stroke of lunch. He toe-ends an attempted hook at the excellent Rabada, and de Kock takes an easy catch. That ball was a bit too short for Taylor to control the hook stroke even if he had connected properly. As it transpired he was through the shot too early anyway.
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71st over: England 211-4 (Taylor 14, Stokes 1) The new ball will be due shortly after lunch, which is a worry for England. Dane Piedt is coming back into the attack, with the left-handed Stokes in mind. He swishes a single, and Taylor drives another. That’s all folks.
BREAKING NEWS: BEN STOKES IS BATTING
70th over: England 209-4 (Taylor 13, Stokes 0) There are 15 minutes until lunch. Will Ben Stokes play sensibly until the interval? Is the Pope a Grateful Dead-loving whackjob?
WICKET! England 208-4 (Root c de Kock b Rabada 76)
Ach! Root has gone for the same score as Cook, caught behind off Rabada. It was a good delivery, on a full length and seaming away just enough to take the outside edge. The keeper de Kock did the rest. It’s easy to say that Root has failed to convert a fifty into a hundred, but that was a fine piece of bowling.
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69th over: England 208-3 (Root 76, Taylor 13)
68th over: England 205-3 (Root 74, Taylor 12) Root, attempting to drive, is beaten by a grubber from Rabada that goes under the bat. There is nothing a batsman can do about those deliveries if they are straight. Ask Greg Blewett.
67th over: England 204-3 (Root 73, Taylor 12) With two right-handers now at the crease, Dane Piedt is replaced by the part-time spinner Dean Elgar. Just one from the over.
“If we are going to start using boxing terms let’s go the whole hog,” says Richard Mansell. “Left-handers are now southpaws. Fragile batsmen have glass jaws, and bowlers can deliver a terrific combination of balls to knock out batsmen.” Don’t be silly: next you’ll be suggesting batsmen should have walk-on music! Can you imagine anything quite so vulgar?
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66th over: England 203-3 (Root 72, Taylor 12) Rabada replaces Morkel, a bit of a surprise as Taylor is on strike. This is an intriguing period, with half an hour to lunch and the new ball due in 14 overs’ time.
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65th over: England 201-3 (Root 72, Taylor 10) Root, on the charge, drives Piedt sweetly through extra cover for four to bring up the 200.
“And in the parlance of an earlier time, Taylor might be said to have beans in his ears,” says John Starbuck. “There was an old song about it but you’d be too young to know it.”
Too right. I’m in my thirties!
REVIEW! England 195-3 (Root not out 67)
It was a poor delivery from Piedt, spinning down the leg side. Root tried to help it round the corner and a moment later the ball was in de Kock’s gloves. It was a terrific take, because he was blinded, but I think Root missed it. There is nothing on UltraEdge, so you would expect this to be overturned. Yes, Root is not out.
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England review: Root c de Kock b Piedt 65
Root reviewed this instantly.
64th over: England 193-3 (Root 65, Taylor 9) Morkel has Taylor in his sights again. Taylor fresh-airs a very loose swivel pull, the first indication that, in the parlance of our time, his beans are going. He smiles a little nervously when, later in the over, Morkel jags one back to hit him in the stomach. He survives the over though, and that will do: Morkel has bowled five in this spell so Taylor just needs to see him off.
63rd over: England 192-3 (Root 64, Taylor 9) Taylor gives Piedt the charge and drives him assertively over mid-on for four. Cracking shot, that. Even if Taylor has a modest summer, we should bear in mind the medium-term: five Tests in India next winter, probably on vile turners, so his expertise against spin will be so important.
‘”No milestone for Alastair Cook today,’” says Damian Clarke of my entry for Cook’s wicket. “There’s still time :/”
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Andrew Strauss on Cricinfo's #BBLfinal ball-by-ball comms by the looks of it. Or Paul Downton. Or Matt Prior. pic.twitter.com/UfDbhWRvdf
— Scott Oliver (@reverse_sweeper) January 24, 2016
All BBB/OBOers have done it. And at least theirs was on a shot rather than a cut.
62nd over: England 187-3 (Root 63, Taylor 5) That wicket has focussed Morkel’s mind and he’s bowling beautifully now. Taylor ducks while in mid-air to avoid a vicious bouncer, and then gloves a lifter not far short of slip. He played that well because it got very big on him. Terrific over from Morkel.
“Flipping between this & BBL,” says Niall Mullen. “Seems like Cook & KP got out almost simultaneously. Maybe they’ve a Skype date planned?”
While we’re on the subject, what will you be wearing for our Skype date tonight, Niall what is the BBL commentary about? Did we learn nothing from Richie?
61st over: England 187-3 (Root 63, Taylor 4) A close shave for Root, who slog-sweeps Piedt just over the leaping de Villiers at midwicket. Piedt is bowling nicely here. From the rubble of this series, South Africa have found a few players who have a chance of successful Test careers: Piedt, Cook, de Kock, Bavuma, Rabada. Root ends the over with a better, safer sweep behind square for four.
“Thankfully can return to the attrition of boxing, sorry Test cricket, as Pietersen is now out,” says Ian Copetake. “The boy did good though. 70 off 3 balls no less.”
60th over: England 181-3 (Root 58, Taylor 4) This is an important innings for James Taylor, who has quietly had a modest series with the bat: 148 runs at 29.60. He gets going by thrashing his first delivery from Morkel whence it came for four.
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WICKET! England 177-3 (Cook c de Kock b Morkel 76)
No milestone for Alastair Cook today. After a poor start to his spell, Morkel produces a beauty from around the wicket that straightens a touch and bounces sharply to take the edge of Cook’s defensive push on its way through to the keeper de Kock.
Garbage from Morkel followed by a snorter - dangerous combination
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) January 24, 2016
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59th over: England 176-2 (Cook 76, Root 58) Piedt looks dangerous to the left-handed Cook because of the turn and bounce. Cook takes on the cut, a shot that has got him in trouble on bouncy pitches against the offspin of Nathan Lyon in the past, but this is perfectly controlled for a single.
58th over: England 174-2 (Cook 75, Root 57) There has been a lot of talk about Root’s conversion rate of fifties and hundreds in recent times. It’s 32 per cent, which is perfectly acceptable really. Back in the middle, Morkel has an LBW shout against Cook turned down. South Africa could not risk their final review because of the absurd review in Morkel’s previous over. Not that it mattered: the ball was clipping the bails so it would have stayed as umpire’s call.
57th over: England 173-2 (Cook 75, Root 56) The offspinner Dane Piedt comes on to replace Abbott, who bowled an excellent spell bar one poor over. England are pottering along nicely, with the deficit about to drop below 300. They bat deep – if not especially wide, as the averages of all bar Cook and Root suggest – and are capable of getting close to South Africa’s 475, even on this awkward pitch. Saying which, Piedt’s fifth delivery, to Cook, bounces absurdly from off middle stump. De Kock had to take that at neck height.
“Evening Rob,” says Phil Withall. “I think the thing that appeals most about Root is his impish enthusiasm. There is a certain resemblance to Derek Randall about him, the barely contained nervous energy and skittish feet. It certainly brings a wonderful edge to his batting. I confess to have a large amount of man love for him.” Yes, he reminds us what the word ‘sport’ used to mean. Yet he also – and this might be his most impressive trick – manages to be seriously hard-nosed as well. It’s pretty rare to see a fun-loving hardass in sport.
56th over: England 171-2 (Cook 74, Root 55) Cook gets his first boundary, flicking another straight delivery from Morkel to fine leg. “An uppercut?” sniffs Richard Mansell. “Isn’t that from boxing?” It is. So are ‘shot’, ‘hook’, ‘swing’ and ‘Judge’, and they all apply to cricket too.
South Africa review: England 166-2 (Cook not out 70)
Rabada’s 16-run over is his last of that spell, with Morne Morkel replacing him. He immediately tries his leg-theory to Cook, and there’s an appeal for a catch by de Kock as Cook falls over. Morkel wants to review, and he has persuaded de Villiers to do so. It’s an awful review, because Cook missed it by a mile. Oh well.
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55th over: England 166-2 (Cook 70, Root 55) Much more of this and South Africa will start to think the unthinkable for the first time. In the 20th century, a first-innings total of 475 pretty much granted immunity from defeat. Not anymore, as South Africa know from previous series against England.
“The worst thing about being tempted to praise Pietersen,” says Ian Copestake, “is that one gets a notion of what it is to be Piers Morgan.”
54th over: England 165-2 (Cook 69, Root 55) An escape for Root, who slices Rabada just wide of the diving Duminy at gully and away for four. He makes it consecutive boundaries with a majestic square drive off the back foot, and another high-class back-foot punch, this time through extra cover for three, takes him to the usual half-century. There’s not really anything new to be said about a quite brilliant cricketer. He completes Rabada’s over with another fabulous square drive. Sixteen from the over!
You just knew, somehow, that Cook and Root would shake hands there, not punch gloves
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) January 24, 2016
Ball coming off so two-paced easy to see a leading edge happening here.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) January 24, 2016
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53rd over: England 149-2 (Cook 68, Root 40) There’s a little bit of drizzle at Centurion. England know all about that: the games in 1995-96 and 1999-2000 were almost entirely washed out. We remember the second game because of Hansie Cronje’s full leather jacket; Graeme Hick’s storming 141 in the first of those Tests deserves to be recalled with a bit more fondness.
Anyway, after one poor over Abbott gets back to his stump-to-stump best: Cook has to defend one excellent inducker and is then beaten by a delivery that hits a crack and goes like an off-break.
52nd over: England 149-2 (Cook 68, Root 40) “With apologies to England, I am watching Luke Wright at the Big Bash,” writes Ian Copetake. “Pietersen is also batting. Well I was watching Luke Wright. He is out now.”
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51st over: England 148-2 (Cook 68, Root 40) There’s a delay while the ball is changed, having gone out of shape. While that’s happening, Root receives some treatment on his hand. He was hit on the glove by Rabada from the final ball of the previous over, but he’s fine to carry on and he square-drives Abbott crisply for the first boundary of the day. He secretes class when he plays shots like that, and he ends the over with an extravagant uppercut for four more. His Test average of 56 is easily the highest in this England team. Cook averages 47 and the rest are all below 35.
“Morning Rob, morning everyone,” says Guy Hornsby. “Crucial morning for England and Cook, who I’d dearly love to see pass that mighty mark this morning, with the ball ducking and diving. I’m definitely up, with things to do and places to go (honest) with the OBO & TMS as my trusty steed. I didn’t even make the end of MOTD last night, giddy times. This is what awaits in your forties. Mortality.” Whatever, old man. Some of us are still in our thirties. For three more days.
50th over: England 140-2 (Cook 68, Root 32) Cook flicks Rabada for a single, England’s first run of the morning from the 23rd delivery. Root joins the orgy of runs with another single off the next ball.
Every time that Kyle Abbott bowls I start singing Shake You Down by Gregory Abbott and it is driving me (and my wife) insane @robsmyth0
— Steve Pye (@1980sSportsBlog) January 24, 2016
49th over: England 138-2 (Cook 67, Root 31) This is excellent from Abbott, who is making Root play at almost every delivery, and it’s a third consecutive maiden. South Africa will hope that they can join the dots until they read W-I-C-K-E-T.
48th over: England 138-2 (Cook 67, Root 31) The impressive Kagiso Rabada will share the ageing ball with Kyle Abbott. He also starts with a maiden, to Cook, even if the over was not quite as challenging as Abbott’s to Root.
You’re all still in bed, aren’t you.
47th over: England 138-2 (Cook 67, Root 31) The first ball of the day, from Kyle Abbott, beats Root’s indeterminate defensive push. It’s overcast at Centurion, so this could be a tricky morning for England. Abbott is bowling very straight, knowing that any significant uneven bounce will probably bring a wicket. The fifth ball does keep a little low and Root has to jab down a little desperately.
Breaking news: Kevin Pietersen is batting.
Jack Bannister RIP
Preamble
Ten years ago in March, a 21-year-old called Alastair Cook made a century on Test debut. From that moment it was clear he was different to the other boys, and that he was going to score thousands of Test runs. Now he is on the brink of reaching ten thousand.
Cook, who made an immaculate 67 not out yesterday, needs 50 more runs to become the first Englishman to reach one of Test cricket’s biggest milestones, England need plenty from him if they are to save the match on a pitch that is already offering some low bounce. They resume on 138 for two, still 337 runs behind. By tonight, we’ll have a better idea whether they can draw or maybe even win this game.
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