STUMPS
87th over: England 317-5 (Stokes 74, Bairstow 39)
The last over of the day and Stokes decides to chill out. He dead bats one back to the bowler, leaves a bouncer and then carefully drives into the covers, for none. The next ball gets big on him, and he drops his hands at the last moment. Morris runs in hard next delivery, but doesn’t release the ball. Stokes, thinking he has, assumes he hasn’t picked it up and takes evasive action before breathing a sigh of relief as he realises the ball is still with Morris. A leave ends a thoroughly engrossing day’s play.
It was very much all even, mainly thanks to England’s top order throwing away a couple of starts, but these two, who go into tomorrow on 94 off 115 balls together, have wrestled back the initiative with a breathtaking display in the evening session. That’s all from here - join us again tomorrow!
Updated
86th over: England 317-5 (Stokes 74, Bairstow 39)
Nope, he’s not injured – Morne’s got the new ball in his hand, which probably isn’t feeling that new after Ben Stokes had his way with it. It’ll only be one over though, as play cannot go beyond 6pm (4pm GMT). Bairstow facing and he leaves everything outside off stump. Morkel goes in search for something and finds thigh guard through to the keeper. He appeals.
ICYMI – Kieron Shaw was bemoaning Joe Root’s conversion rate, relative to those of Kane Williamson and Steve Smith. He’s emailed in again with the full numbers from the last 12 months:
Root – 27 innings, 11 half-tons, 3 tons, ave 59.79
Smith – 24 innings, 5 half-tons, 6 tons, ave 73.70
Kane – 16 innings, 4 half-tons, 5 tons, ave 90.15
85th over: England 317-5 (Stokes 74, Bairstow 39)
There are three men out on the legside for Ben Stokes, but somehow he manages to beat them all with a well-controlled hook, which bounces just short of the boundary sponge behind square leg for four. Morris getting a bit of treatment here. I’m surprised he has stayed on to bowl this over. Morkel injured, perhaps? Another short ball keeps a tad low and Stokes adjusts late to top edge safely behind square on the legside. Six from the over as Bairstow squirts an edge to third man.
.@jbairstow21 becomes the 100th England player to score 1000 runs in Test matches #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/UzwE3HFusk
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) January 2, 2016
84th over: England 311-5 (Stokes 70, Bairstow 38)
Some calm to proceedings as an over goes by without a boundary. Bairstow drops one into the legside, Stokes finds a single at point, Bairstow gets another to third man and Stokes pulls to the square leg sweeper. Scratch that first bit – it should have been boundaryless, but awful fielding from Dan Piedt at extra cover allows the ball to make it to the fence.
83rd over: England 303-5 (Stokes 68, Bairstow 32)
Glorious from Stokes, who picks up a ball outside off stump and sends it on its way to the boundary through midwicket. Morris is ticking, too, and puts a little extra into a short ball which surprises Stokes, who hooks anyway. Luckily, the ball settles into a vacant area of the field behind square leg. Stokes rests at the nonstriker’s end for a moment, as Bairstow picks up a single to midwicket to get him back on strike. Morris is short again but this time Stokes controls the shot and gets a single to fine leg. Now Bairstow is in on the act, carving a short and wide delivery past backward point for four.
No Morkel ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
— Antoinette Muller (@mspr1nt) January 2, 2016
82nd over: England 291-5 (Stokes 62, Bairstow 26)
Stokes gets two to midwicket off his hip – Rabada has the new ball at this end – and misses out on another new ball boundary because of some fine fielding by Faf du Plessis at point. He settles for a single to the legside boundary, where a sweeper lurks.
81st over: England 288-5 (Stokes 59, Bairstow 26)
That new ball is taken and eight runs are pilfered from the first two balls. Morris is straight on the stumps and Stokes punches him through mid on before he slashes over gully for the second four. It brings up Stokes’ fifty (71 balls) and leads to Amla dropping gully down to third man. A dot and then another four as Stokes stands tall and bludgeons the ball through cover point off the back foot. And a fourth as Stokes goes through where that fielder at third man started the over! Meek from Amla, imperious from Stokes.
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80th over: England 271-5 (Stokes 42, Bairstow 26)
Presumably the last over before South Africa take the new ball. Bairstow starts it with a boundary: Piedt over-pitches and Bairstow walks into a nice off drive through extra cover. The fourth ball follows the same path, but at a greater lick. Good from JB.
79th over: England 263-5 (Stokes 42, Bairstow 18)
Bairstow is right behind everything from Elgar, including a yorker which is dug out easily. A punch down the ground brings him one, before Stokes returns the strike. Another to long on ends the over.
78th over: England 260-5 (Stokes 41, Bairstow 16)
Piedt getting into a good rhythm and he nearly has Stokes trapped in front, but for a thin edge onto his pad, which bounces past Quinton de Kock and finds its way into the left hand of Chris Morris, diving to his right at first slip. The appeal from de Kock is animated: “HOWZAT! What? [Turns to Morris] Did you catch it? HOWZAT!” Not out, QdK. Three from the over.
77th over: England 257-5 (Stokes 40, Bairstow 14)
Part-time destroyer Dean Elgar comes into the attack to replace van Zyl. Stokes and Bairstow exchange two singles each, as the left arm spinner fires a few in straight, with some natural (accidental) variation in length.
76th over: England 253-5 (Stokes 38, Bairstow 12)
Dane Piedt takes over from Morkel, who’ll no doubt be back when the new ball is taken. Piedt starts with a trademark half-tracker which Bairstow puts everything into but is unable to beat van Zyl, who’s running around to midwicket. The next ball is a beauty: Bairstow is brought forward and the ball turns through bat and pad but bounces just over leg stump and beyond the keeper for four byes.
75th over: England 247-5 (Stokes 38, Bairstow 10)
Stokes decides hard and fast won’t work to van Zyl’s dobblers, so pats the second ball on the head and sends it to the fielder at third man. Bairstow manages three with a tickle to fine leg.
74th over: England 242-5 (Stokes 37, Bairstow 6)
One of those Morne Morkel balls – you know, fullish length that somehow jumps up and tickles the batsman’s chin – is delivered by the man himself and Bairstow gets himself into a kerfuffle. Luckily, despite getting squared up, he manages to keep his hands out of the way and allows the ball to pass through to the keeper. Bairstow gets off strike next ball with a single into the legside, allowing Stokes to see out the remaining four.
73rd over: England 241-5 (Stokes 37, Bairstow 5)
Piedt looks to have patched together a good over, but Stokes ruins it with a bottom-handed bunt through midwicket for four.
72nd over: England 237-5 (Stokes 33, Bairstow 5)
Bairstow with some intent now, as Morkel tries to get his edge but Johnny meets him with an open face to punch through cover, piercing the hands of the fielder diving to his right, for four.
Kieron Shaw has done some digging in the stats pit:
“Over the last twelve months, Root has played 27 Test innings and, in 11 of them (40%), has got himself out for between 50 and 100.”
“A-minus. Must try harder. This inability to kick on has been the single black mark against him in his banner international year, compared to the performances of fellow pretenders Smith and Williamson.”
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71st over: England 233-5 (Stokes 33, Bairstow 1)
Can’t remember who coined it, but I think we can class Stiaan van Zyl as “civilian medium”. He’s using his lack of pace well, just bringing his length back and keeping it straight. A bit of width and Bairstow can guide to third man for a single to get off the mark. More width and Stokes’ is tempted into a slash which, luckily for him, he fails to get anything on.
70th over: England 232-5 (Stokes 33, Bairstow 0)
A drinks break and Stokes is on it: glorious on-drive off Morris beats the diving man at mid on for four and then a drive away from his body races through cover for another.
69th over: England 224-5 (Stokes 25, Bairstow 0)
Nothing really to report from that over. One bad ball from van Zyl, which Stokes thumped through the ring fielders but right to the offside sweeper for one.
68th over: England 223-5 (Stokes 24, Bairstow 0)
Lovely: Morris is full and Rooteh meets the ball under his eyes, with a solid forward press, to time the ball down the ground for four. A tuck into midwicket and that’s Root’s 18th Test fifty off 78 balls. He’s out two balls later, hanging back to a ball Graeme Smith reckons he should have got forward to, and nicking behind. A big waste from Root, who looked at ease.
@andymcg_cricket @somerfjord At least 4 of the wickets have come from deliveries that could, should have been left.
— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) January 2, 2016
WICKET! Root c de Kock b Morris 50 (England 223-5)
Oh Rooteh. Morris hangs one outside off stump and Root, fresh from bringing up his half-century, has a wristy nibble behind. GAH!
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67th over: England 217-4 (Root 45, Stokes 23)
Hashim Amla decides to get Stiaan van Zyl’s mediums a try. He starts wicket to wicket to Root, who defends a couple and plays in front of his pad into the off- and legside to find fielders. The final ball is on leg stump and Root can get it away beyond the square leg man for one, which brings up the 50 partnership between these two, from 69 balls.
66th over: England 216-4 (Root 44, Stokes 23)
First sign of variable bounce, certainly from what I’ve been watching, as Root has to dip on the back foot to a back of a length ball from Morris which just gets to knee height. Single.
“Stokes’ mediocre stats are getting a bit of a kicking in a few places online today,” writes Tom Botwell.
“Thought I’d compare him at 21 Tests against Flintoff after 21 Tests:
Stokes 1013 @ 28.13, 46 @ 40.67
Flintoff 643 runs @ 19.48 , 33 Wickets @ 47.15
“So Stokes not doing too bad (until you look at Botham after 21 Tests - 1035 @ 38.33, 107 @ 19.60).”
65th over: England 215-4 (Root 43, Stokes 23)
These two not letting Piedt settle at all and have worked together to concoct the perfect over of batting against spin. A single for Stokes to cover brings Root on strike, who places Piedt through cover point for four with an open face. A quick single to mid on means Piedt must come back around the wicket to Stokes, who drops his back knee and slog-sweeps to midwicket for a huge six. Perfect.
64th over: England 203-4 (Root 38, Stokes 16)
Another single off the first ball from Root. “Busy”. Stokes on strike, Morkel back around the wicket and a lifter aimed at the armpit keeps going down the legside, evading the desperate dive of de Kock, for four byes, which is harsh on the keeper. Fuller from Morkel and a single brings Root back on to play a sweet back-foot drive through cover for four to bring up the team 200. Effortless from the boy Joe.
Good spot from Nick Church, here. Roger - we’re coming for you...
@Vitu_E that blighter Roger (12.32 OBO text) has put the jinx on things....given he has (lovely) company in Fiji I suggests he tends to that
— Nick Church (@_Churchie) January 2, 2016
63rd over: England 193-4 (Root 33, Stokes 15)
Piedt has his first go this evening and Root immediately takes a single to midwicket, as the offspinner starts short. Another loosener comes in the form o a full toss, which Stokes thumps to midwicket for four.
62nd over: England 188-4 (Root 32, Stokes 11)
Root looks a tad early on the pull, there: Morkel drops one outside off stump and it’s flipped into square leg for two. A bunt into midwicket brings Stokes back on strike. Three dots, including an appeal and an ambitious review, end the over.
Updated
NOT OUT
No LBW as too high and no catch as no bat. As you were...
Review
An LBW appeal against Stokes goes up and gains voice as de Kock catches the ricochet off, which may have been down to some bat. Not out for both, so South Africa enlist the help of the third umpire...
61st over: England 185-4 (Root 29, Stokes 11)
Gorgeous from Stokes, who uses his wrists to get an extra bit of oomph into a tuck off his hip to send it racing to the square boundary for four. A hard drive down the pitch is picked up well by Morris, who turns and throws at the other end, missing Stokes – who gets his hands well out of the way – and the stumps. The final delivery is short and flayed to square leg, where Stiaan van Zyl fields, for two. Good from Benjamin.
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60th over: England 179-4 (Root 29, Stokes 5)
Morkel replaces Rabada, who starts around the wicket to Stokes, as is his wont to left-handers. Stokes manages one off a good short ball, leaving Root to play out the over.
South Africa clearly worked very hard on the ball. Some nice movement.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) January 2, 2016
59th over: England 178-4 (Root 29, Stokes 4)
Really good over from Morris, using the late movement to keep Root watchful. Tries to finish it off with a yorker but misses his mark and Root picks him off for two through midwicket.
58th over: England 176-4 (Root 27, Stokes 4)
Stokes enjoys a quick pitch but, with the ball moving late, he’ll have to reel in his desire to go hard at the full ball. He tucks two to square leg and checks a drive into the offside for none.
57th over: England 173-4 (Root 27, Stokes 2)
Morris takes the ball at the other end: the ball is tailing into the right handers and Root is playing it inside out and late to combat it. A thick outside edge brings him four through gully.
56th over: England 169-4 (Root 23, Stokes 2)
A dot and then the wicket of Compton before tea means we start with the remaining four balls of the over. James Taylor nicks the first delivery of the session through to the keeper. There was no need to play at that. He waits around as the umpire checks the landing foot, which has a smidge of heel breaking the front line. Taylor continues his trudge off. Ben Stokes faces the hat-trick ball and plays it solidly to mid on. Off the mark to the final ball of the over with a tuck off his hip to backward square leg.
WICKET! Taylor c de Kock b Rabada 0 (England 167-4)
First ball after tea Taylor fends needlessly at one outside off-stump, through to the keeper. Rabada on a hat-trick...
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Tea (England 167-3 from 54.5 overs)
The wicket means that will be the last delivery before tea. England are still in a good position, though they will be slightly irritated by the dismissals of Hales and Compton in the afternoon session. Vish will be with you for the final session. Thanks for your company, bye!
WICKET! England 167-3 (Compton c Bavuma b Rabada 45)
Ach, Compton has gone on the stroke of tea. He slammed a short ball from Rabada straight to short midwicket, where Bavuma took a smart catch. They are checking for the no-ball, and he has bowled a few today. This time he’s just okay, so Compton is out after another good innings of 45.
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55th over: England 167-2 (Compton 45, Root 23) This is a lovely cricket pitch, with something for everybody. We haven’t reached tea and Piedt has already bowled 16 overs, and to good effect: figures of 16-5-33-0 show that he has at least given Amla control.
54th over: England 164-2 (Compton 42, Root 23) Another let-off for Joe Root! This was a devastating demonstration of Rabada’s abundant potential, a seriously sharp short ball that had Root in all sorts of trouble. He decided to hook but had barely sent the message to his brain when the ball roared from the pitch to hit high on the bat and loop in the air. It fell just in front of the diving AB de Villiers, who had charged forward from slip.
53rd over: England 164-2 (Compton 42, Root 23) Just over ten minutes to tea. There has been a bit of turn already for Piedt, which will please Moeen. I wonder when an England spinner last won consecutive MOTM awards in Tests? In fact, it was the first two Tests of the series when England last toured South Africa six years ago. Graeme Swann was Man of the Match in both.
52nd over: England 163-2 (Compton 42, Root 22) Rabada has changed ends. He is promising and raw – cliche bingo – but you’d expect him to be a bloody good bowler by the time he’s 27. Mind you I thought that of poor Mfuneko Ngam.
Updated
51st over: England 162-2 (Compton 42, Root 21) Piedt returns to the attack in place of the expensive Rabada. There is a bit of panic about these increasingly frequent bowling changes, and England have already in a fine position. They can’t go 2-0 up after two in South Africa, can they?
“When THAT photo was being taken at the end of the Edgbaston Test in 2005, Flintoff knew he would be affected for a long time to come,” lies Matt Dony. “He could clearly be heard to intone,
‘And neither the Angels in heaven above
Nor the demons down under the sea
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Brett Lee
For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Brett Lee.’
A moment that transcended sport.”
I heard an amusing story about that photo during the summer on FiveLive. It was taken by the Guardian’s Tom Jenkins, but it wasn’t used in the paper the next day – because it didn’t fit the pre-planned picture slot. Oh, Guardian!
50th over: England 158-2 (Compton 41, Root 18) “Afternoon Smyth, afternoon everybody,” says Josh Robinson. “I never thought I’d find myself saying (let alone writing) this, but I’m coming to feel that leaving Bell out of this touring party was a good decision. My admiration for Ian Ronald remains fervent. But the only member of this squad I’d consider dropping for him is Ballance. And I’m willing to concede (if through gritted teeth) that the Ballance’s youth means he’s worth preferring for this tour – but the clinching argument is that a winter off will likely do Bell more good than spending it drinks-carrying.
“Either he’ll come back refreshed, and able to push on towards 10,000 Test runs, or he’ll find that the edge has gone, and step back from the international game. The latter’s not my preferred option, but I’d take even that over watching a continued gradual descent into mediocrity, with never a good moment to call it a day.”
Yes I agree. He should have done it before the Pakistan series. We’ll know from the early county games whether he is finished or not. If he is anywhere near his best he will score millions of runs for Warwickshire, because county cricket was always too easy for him. But even if he does that, he needs a slot to become available. I suspect we might not see him again. He deserves better than such a tame ending to a fine career.
49th over: England 157-2 (Compton 40, Root 18) “Yep two!” says Root as he tucks Rabada off the pads. He’s wrong: there are three after yet another misfield, this time from the bowler Rabada. “It’s just unSouth African” says a confused Bumble on Sky. Their fielding has been unusually shoddy.
Root is dropped!
48th over: England 152-2 (Compton 40, Root 14) A let-off for Joe Root, who is dropped by Morris at gully. It was another good delivery from Morkel, full and inviting the drive. Root snicked it and Morris, who took a blinder earlier to dismiss Cook, couldn’t hang on to a very sharp chance as he dived to his left. In fairness, it wasn’t even a horf chornce.
Just noticed. Some things never change pic.twitter.com/Z7sH0tiudS
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) January 2, 2016
Still at No11, eh? Oh.
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47th over: England 148-2 (Compton 36, Root 13) Rabada replaces Piedt and is swivel-pulled deliciously for four by Root, who has started with his usual breezy authority. He gets two more when a back-foot punch is misfielded in the covers, and already he has 13 from 14 balls.
“Rob, Following the OBO here in Fiji (on holiday) – no tv coverage at all (unsurprisingly as not a local sport of choice) so keeping up with play through your commentary!” says a particularly jaunty Roger Jefferies. “Enthralling day’s play, England seemingly on verge of something here (without wanting to jinx it!) Really pleased to see Compo back and doing the job we know he can. Come on England!”
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46th over: England 14o-2 (Compton 36, Root 6) Joe Root clips Morkel confidently wide of mid-on for three. He will douse the innings in Red Bull, as he always does, and you’d think he and Compton will complement each other really well over the next few years.
45th over: England 137-2 (Compton 36, Root 3) Hello again. England are going well, despite that frustrating dismissal of Alex Hales. Compton gets four more, slamming a poor delivery from Piedt through the covers. He’s the highest score in the series so far, and has already faced nearly 450 deliveries. It’s been a superb return.
44th over: England 131-2 (Compton 31, Root 2)
Drinks taken and Compton off the mark with the first ball after, dropping his hands on Morne Morkel, who is on for his first bowl of the session. Morkel’s straight on that length/back-of-a-length, ermm, length. Hales is happy to leave most alone but has to play at the fifth ball, which leaves him at the very last moment to take his edge through to AB de Villiers at second slip, who dives just in front of Dean Elgar for the catch. Joe Root comes in and edges down in front of gully. Poor fielding allows him to get off the mark.
That’s it from me for now – here’s Rob to take over.
WICKET! Hales c de Villiers b Morkel 60 (England 129-2)
Excellent from Morne Morkel who, in his first over of the session, ends this Compton-Hales partnership for 74, tempting an edge from a good length ball that leaves the right-hander off the pitch.
Updated
43rd over: England 128-1 (Compton 30, Hales 60)
Piedt changing his pace, giving the ball some flight and waiting for Hales to make a mistake, who defends solidly and finds fielders with shots along the deck. 0-0.
42nd over: England 128-1 (Compton 30, Hales 60)
A loose drive from Compton, as he loses control of the bat fact to hit uppishly through backward point for four. Morris is peeved but, other than being just above the ground, it was well beyond the fielder in that region.
“The Day Today/Brass Eye’s Chris Morris,” starts Kevin Wilson, “has something very Woakes-like about him, both in action and stats.
“And like Woakes he’ll probably only ever get picked when there’s an injury to a frontline bowler.”
41st over: England 124-1 (Compton 26, Hales 60)
Piedt gets Compton on strike (Hales takes a single second ball, after getting a thick inside edge on one that turns into him) and decides to change the angle. From around the wicket, he’s pushing the ball across Compton, who is happy defending into the off side or pushing to leg, which he does to keep the strike for the next over.
40th over: England 122-1 (Compton 25, Hales 59)
Slack from Morris who, in searching for the stumps, drifts onto the pads and is tickled fine by Alex Hales for four. He does so again with the last ball of his over and Hales hits him squarer, this time for one.
Updated
39th over: England 117-1 (Hales 54, Compton 25)
Worry not England fans – five dots in and Alex Hales uses the man back on the fence to on-drive for one. Good pressure from South Africa, here. Hales and Compton accordingly respectful.
38th over: England 116-1 (Hales 53, Compton 25)
Another maiden, this time from Morris. One more maiden and then a wicket, right?
37th over: England 116-1 (Hales 53, Compton 25)
A maiden for Piedt, but one of those unthreatening maidens, as shown by the fact that one of the dots – the fifth ball of the over – was wristed hard by Alex Hales to midwicket, from outside off stump.
36th over: England 116-1 (Hales 53, Compton 25)
Chris Morris replaces Rabada and immediately enjoys a bit of success over Compton, who swings wildly at a wide one and then nibbles knowingly at one that implores him to defend but leaves him at the last moment. Seems to be a bit of reverse swing for Morris, who gets the last two balls of his over to angle into Compton. The first hits him as it arcs down leg – the second is worked to square leg for a well run two.
Now we see why de Kock is in the team - it's so AB can have a bowl @Vitu_E.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) January 2, 2016
35th over: England 114-1 (Hales 53, Compton 23)
Nick Compton still enjoying the effect of his earlier six against Piedt with Amla stationing a fielder down at long on, meaning a single is readily available if he wants it (which he does).
Updated
34th over: England 113-1 (Hales 53, Compton 22)
Rabada in his stride now, but not troubling Hales or Compton too much.
33rd over: England 112-1 (Hales 53, Compton 21)
One for South Africa, there, as Piedt concedes just two from the over. The off-spinner beats the outside edge of Hales’ as he pushes forward and catches Compton slightly unaware with a flatter one. Both batsmen manage a single each.
Nick Compton has hit three sixes in his 11 Tests, the same number that his dashing grandpa Denis hit in 78 Tests.
— Rob Smyth (@robsmyth0) January 2, 2016
Updated
32nd over: England 110-1 (Hales 52, Compton 20)
Rabada seeks something short to unnerve Compton, but the bounce only does for Quinton de Kock, who concedes two byes as he fails to gather. One in Compton’s half is hit clean and classically through the covers for four.
31st over: England 104-1 (Hales 52, Compton 16)
Jeremy Boyce e-mailed in an impassioned defence of Nick Compton’s way, starting off with the assertion that Test match cricket, for all its evolution, is still a five-day game requiring diligence and grind from 1-2-3 in the order. Thus, Compton’s slow burn is alright with him.
I was going to print it in full, but Compton started this Piedt over with a dab over his shoulder for four and then followed it up with some great footwork to run down the track and thump down the ground for six. This is Nick Compton, but not as we know him.
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30th over: England 93-1 (Hales 52, Compton 5)
That rarest of sights, a Test match wide, disrupts a very good start to the over from Rabada. Of the deliveries that Hales plays at, one squares him up, but there’s enough bat to keep the ball in front of him. The edge is found last ball, but South Africa have resorted to two slips. Naturally, the ball flies through fourth and that’s a maiden Test fifty for Alex Hales, from 96 balls.
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29th over: England 88-1 (Hales 48, Compton 5)
Wowsers, even Compton’s getting into it. Dane Piedt opens up the session from the other end and Compo skips down. He doesn’t get to the pitch of the ball, so overcompensates with the swing of his bat to squirt the ball over midwicket for two.
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28th over: England 86-1 (Hales 48, Compton 3)
Perfect start for Alex Hales after lunch: Rabada bowls full and he guides through cover for two. A correction outside off stump is left alone but some width and Hales can guide again, this time backward of point for four. SWOOSH! Four more as the Nottinghamshire batsman slashes hard over second slip. Ten off the over. Intent.
Updated
A very happy 2016 to all - OBOers and beyond. Vithushan Ehantharajah (Vish is fine) here to get your afternoon session going before Rob Smyth returns for the second hour.
A tidy start from England, who were hovering around 3.5 an over until Alastair Cook nicked the whippy uninhibited shoulder seam of Kagiso Rabada to a diving Chris Morris at third slip. Nick Compton saw out the morning with three from 32 balls (easy now, baying mob). Alex Hales is looking smart on 38*.
Five minutes till play.
Lunchtime at Newlands pic.twitter.com/57cDcTtzrX
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) January 2, 2016
Lunch
27th over: England 76-1 (Hales 38, Compton 3) Compton continues to enrage Twitter by defending a maiden from Piedt, the final over an excellent session for England. They lost Alastair Cook to a preposterous catch from the debutant Chris Morris, but Alex Hales played like Geoff Boycott to make a mature 38 not out from 84 balls, and Nick Compton matched him defensive stroke for defensive stroke when he came in. Vish will be with you after lunch, bye!
Updated
26th over: England 76-1 (Hales 38, Compton 3) England have drawn the sting from South Africa this morning, with Hales the unlikely figurehead. He ignores a series of wider deliveries from Morkel, which means a maiden. One more over to lunch.
“Happy New Year Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Just fell out of bed as I thought Bumble described Compton as ‘very watchable’ when what he’d actually said was ‘very watchful’. Still, it was the only way I was going to get up today.”
25th over: England 76-1 (Hales 38, Compton 3) In other news, Luke Wright!
24th over: England 76-1 (Hales 38, Compton 3) A poor first ball from the returning Morkel, short and wide, is flashed behind point for four by Hales. This has been an impressively constructed innings from Hales: 38 from 77 balls with six fours.
“Please tell me I am not the only one, based on the fantastic images of Newlands this morning, who has just searched in eager anticipation for the date of our next tour of South Africa?” says Alex Miles. “Disappointingly a 3-4 year wait?” That’s relatively quick compared to previous breaks – this is only England’s third tour of South Africa since early 2000.
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23th over: England 72-1 (Hales 34, Compton 3) Hales charges Piedt, doesn’t quite get there and has to abort his murderous intent. One from the over. There can be an instinctive tendency to dismiss all South Africa spinners as entirely useless, but so far Piedt has looked pretty promising.
“Regarding Compton, Smyth, that’s just like your opinion, man,” says Ian Copestake. Yeah but look what the players are wearing. Laundry. The whites.
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22nd over: England 71-1 (Hales 33, Compton 3) Compton edges Morris short of the cordon. He’s taking his time, as he should: first-innings runs will be even more important than usual in this game. England will win at least 300 to feel competitive.
“If Michael Holding didn’t mutter Byron’s words as he ran (glided?) in then he certainly should have,” says Phil West.
“For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,
And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;
And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,
And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!”
21st over: England 69-1 (Hales 33, Compton 1) Dane Piedt, the offspinner, is coming into the attack in place of Rabada (7-1-25-1). Hales squirts a loosish drive not too far short of backward point, and it’s a maiden.
“Please find attached invoice #43793083,” writes Chas Terry. “Have a nice day.” You too big guy.
20th over: England 69-1 (Hales 33, Compton 1) Morris replaces Morkel, and Compton gets off the mark with a single to fine leg. Another long innings from him would do nicely here, because all logic suggests this pitch will break up for Moeen Ali as the match progresses. And South Africa only have a four-man attack.
“I like the death stare that straight outta Compton gives the bowler after every single ball,” says Ian Copestake. “Before leaving it and consolidating his nought not out.”
Everything about Uncle Compo screams cult hero. I think we’re going to love him over the next few years. Sometimes there’s a man... I won’t say a hero, ‘cause, what’s a hero? But sometimes, there’s a man. And I’m talkin’ about Compo here. Sometimes, there’s a man, well, he’s the man for his time and place. He fits right in there. And that’s definitely not Compo, in Test cricket in the 2010s. Which is why we’re going to enjoy him so much.
19th over: England 66-1 (Hales 31, Compton 0) Another no-ball from Rabada is driven meatily for three by Hales, who is playing rather nicely. Compton defends the rest of the over.
“That Chris Morris catch was well Mexico,” says Nick Carter, in the knowing style.
18th over: England 61-1 (Hales 28, Compton 0) Morkel trampolines a bouncer over de Kock’s head for four wides.
“What is the crowd number like in Cape Town?” asks Raymond Reardon. “Currently over 80,000 at MCG for a domestic T20 match between two Melbourne teams at same time as live TV coverage.” There are lots of England fans, but it’s nowhere near full. The world’s changing. You can’t stay in here all day dreaming about Ziggy Pop.
17th over: England 55-1 (Hales 27, Compton 0) Uncle Compo is the new batsman. I still can’t quite believe that catch from Morris. Tall, right-handed, debutant fast bowlers are not supposed to take blinders low to their left in the slips.
“The earliest use of poetry on the cricket field I can remember was Sir Geoffrey Boycott, caught at long leg hooking Keith Boyce at Barbados on the 73/74 tour,” says Steve Hudson. “As he trailed sadly off, the stump mike caught his rueful rendition of Larkin’s myxomatosis:
Caught in the centre of a soundless field
While hot inexplicable hours go by
What trap is this? Where were its teeth concealed?
You seem to ask.
I make a sharp reply.”
There were no stump mics in 73/74. Sometimes the poetry will be false.
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WICKET! England 55-1 (Cook c Morris b Rabada 27)
Alastair Cook falls to a staggering catch from the debutant Chris Morris. He tried to drive a full ball from Rabada and edged it low to the left of third slip, where Morris plunged to grab the ball a fraction off the ground. That is an outrageous piece of fielding.
@robsmyth0 did I hear Cook quoting the Bible to you and Scyld Berry as he left the field there? 'Jinx not lest ye be jinxed'
— Job Senior (@Ilkleyrocks) January 2, 2016
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16th over: England 55-0 (Cook 27, Hales 27) Michael Holding is criticising Morkel’s length, which has indeed been too short given the conditions. England look settled and confident, which can only mean one thing.
“Is it naïve of me to say that Hales seems to be batting like a Test opener?” says Ant Pease, just before heading into town with the back door unlocked in case the neighbours need to borrow any sugar while he’s out. @He seems to be leaving where necessary (apart from that waft to the no ball), defending where it needs to be done, and giving dross The Treatment. Is it any less naïve to assume that during the time that this mail spends in the ether he’ll give Morkel the charge, and get caught at long on?” Yes, so far he has constructed his innings almost faultlessly.
15th over: England 52-0 (Cook 24, Hales 27) Cook dismisses a shortish delivery from Rabada through midwicket for three to bring up a good fifty partnership. If England aren’t careful they are going to be in serious danger of winning this series.
Prediction? If England survive Morkel's second spell unscathed, they cannot lose this series. At the least...
— Scyld Berry (@scyldberry) January 2, 2016
“I don’t think anyone who saw Chris Cairns’s heartbreaking rendition of John Dowland’s “Flow My Tears,” self-accompanied on the lute, when appealing for the wicket of Justin Langer in the first over of the first Test in Brisbane in 2001 will ever forget it. He later threatened to follow it up with a version of “In Darkness Let Me Dwell” when Langer duly went on to make a century, but the match referee intervened.”
Ah yes, match referee Jackie Hendriks. Who could forget? It’s like the time in 1995 when Angus Fraser surprised everyone – not least a startled umpire Bird – by revealing he was a Stone Roses fan via the medium of Aacapella appeal for LBW against Sherwin Campbell.
14th over: England 49-0 (Cook 21, Hales 27) Morkel replaces Morris, who bowled a decent first spell of 6-1-22-0. South Africa have given Hales too many deliveries on the pads today, and there’s another that is put away through square leg for four. Thus far Hales has constructed his innings almost like a classical opener: leave the good balls, hit the bad ones. That’s drinks.
“The batting side can appeal to the umpire too,” says John Starbuck. “If they’re desperately trying to win the game: Do not go gentle into that good night/Rage. rage against the dying of the light.”
13th over: England 44-0 (Cook 20, Hales 23) A much better over from Rabada: straighter, fuller and with little Hales to hit. But the last ball undoes his good work. After hitting Hales on the back with a bouncer, he strives for a magic delivery and is clipped through midwicket for four.
“The thing I dislike about South Africa is how old they make me feel,” says Ian Copestake. “Boucher is gone, let alone Kallis. And Smith, who I still remember as a new kid on the block captain, is sought for advice now as a commentator. In my mind I am 27.” It won’t be look before us old fools have to endure the first Test cricketer born in the 2000s. In fact the word is that Pakistan have got a brilliant new mystery spinner who hasn’t yet been born but is expected to make his Test debut at some stage in 2016.
12th over: England 40-0 (Cook 20, Hales 19) Cook flicks Morris in the air but wide of midwicket for four. There was a shout of catch, and Cook did follow the ball a bit nervously before it went past the fielder. England, without being entirely convincing, have had a fine start.
@robsmyth0 presumably when turned down bowlers recite 'ours not to reason why, ours but to do or die'
— Job Senior (@Ilkleyrocks) January 2, 2016
That or “you effing effing cee”; it depends what side of bed they emerged from that morning I suppose.
11th over: England 36-0 (Cook 16, Hales 19) South Africa probably haven’t been full enough to Hales yet, and as a consequence another Rabada over passes without incident.
Like this pitch a lot. V old Perthish. Key is not to get carried away with bounce. Bounce drives batsman back, full ball takes wickets.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) January 2, 2016
Rabada means tail in Portuguese. #SAvENG. Watch out, 9, 10, jack. It also means Oxtail stew though. #cricket
— Will Luke (@mailliw) January 2, 2016
10th over: England 34-0 (Cook 16, Hales 17) A short ball from Morris is pulled majestically for four by Cook, who collects another boundary off the final delivery with a shot I missed because I was reading emails. So sue me! This is developing into a good start for England. If they get 400, South Africa will be in quite the predicament.
I rather like the idea of using poetry in an appeal (pace Mr Copestake). Perhaps the slips cordon can barbershop theirs @robsmyth0?
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) January 2, 2016
9th over: England 26-0 (Cook 8, Hales 17) Hales is beaten for pace outside off stump by what turned out to be a Rabada no-ball. He might be wise to leave anything outside off stump while he adjusts to Rabada’s pace.
“Good appeal from Morkel, but not in the Shane Warne class,” says Steve Hudson. “He once sang the whole of The Smiths’ Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want to Billy Bowden, with Ricky Ponting strumming an acoustic. It was just missing leg, so no joy.”
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8th over: England 23-0 (Cook 8, Hales 15) Morris, who has switched around the wicket, has a big shout for LBW against Cook turned down by Bruce Oxenford. It was close, but probably not close enough to review. Replays show it was umpire’s call on the point of contact with leg stump, so it would not have been overturned. Hales then faces his first delivery of the match from Morris, and whips it through midwicket for three.
7th over: England 19-0 (Cook 7, Hales 12) It’s time for the pace of the 20-year-old Kagiso Rabada. He plays three Tests in India but this is his home debut. His first two balls go for four, with Hales flicking through midwicket and then slashing a back cut into the ground and through gully. Rabada’s comeback is excellent, a good one outside off stump that beats the outside edge. That delivery was in excess of 90mph. For a kid in the first over of his first home Test, that’s some hot hot heat.
“Not only did Morkel beseech Aleem Dar to give that LBW,” begins Ian Copstake, “but he followed it up with lyrics from Horde’s tuneful ditty “Mine Heart Doth Beseech Thee (O Master), which, considering the following, made it one of the longest umpire beseechings in Test match history:
Infernal blackened shadows surround me
Cold winds freeze my pale flesh
Demons search for a dwelling place
Behold I am who they seek.”
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6th over: England 11-0 (Cook 8, Hales 4) Cook leaves a delivery from Morris that comes back a long way and bounces over the top of the stumps. It was a safe leave on length but I suspect the extent of the movement will have surprised Cook. The next ball is a fuller inswinger that Cook clips confidently through midwicket for three. It’s definitely swinging for Morris now, though. Or, as David Brent might say, I think there’s been some shape out there! That was an excellent over, the best yet. This, as Athers says on Sky, looks like an excellent pitch for batsmen and bowlers – fast and with bounce that’s as true as a dying man’s final words.
@robsmyth0 Another crap day in Africa pic.twitter.com/0UCLYAmx98
— Paul Mitchell (@phmitch) January 2, 2016
Yeah but you should see the view from my desk.
5th over: England 9-0 (Cook 5, Hales 4) Hales is taking his time to play himself in, as he did in the second innings at Durban. He flicks around a fuller delivery from Morkel, who beseeches Aleem Dar to give him out LBW. I thought it might be going down, and Hashim Amla decides not to review. The replay shows it was indeed sliding past the leg stump. The next ball is a similar area, and this time Hales clips it for four to get off the mark from his 14th delivery.
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4th over: England 5-0 (Cook 5, Hales 0) Cook leans into a wide, full delivery from Morris and times it through extra cover for four. It was a fair enough delivery from Morris, striving for swing, though there has been none of that so far. It’s a different challenge from each end, with Morris pitching it right up and Morkel pounding just back of a length.
“Early indications are that this is a very modern Australian pitch - plenty of carry, quick but no lateral movement,” says Krishnan Patel. “I think a huge first-innings total and lots of scoreboard pressure is the only way to win. The great thing for England is that Cook usually bats big on such tracks.” In recent years the England batsmen have generally struggled on bouncy pitches, though Broad and Finn would like this to be Perth-lite.
3rd over: England 1-0 (Cook 1, Hales 0) This has been an intense start from South Africa, and Morkel some really good carry. Hales is driven back in his crease to such an extent that, when he gets a leg-stump half-volley, he can’t punish it. Another maiden.
“Rob, I noticed your comment that England have between them 974 Test wickets,” says Steve Hudson. “That is the number of Test runs that Bradman scored in the 1930 Ashes series, still a world record. This must mean something. Buggered if I know what, though.”
That it’s too late for both of us?
2nd over: England 1-0 (Cook 1, Hales 0) The debutant Chris Morris, who many feel was picked ahead of the beastly Hardus Viljoen as much for his lower-order batting as his bowling, will share the new ball. He starts with a very full length to Cook – too full in one case, with a nervous wide full toss slipping past Cook’s outside edge. That aside it’s a good start, and a maiden.
“My New Year’s resolution is genuinely to watch less cricket,” writes Robert Wilson. “At least until lunchtime’s deadline. I’m confident I’ll make it because, naturally, the OBO doesn’t count. I might make another vow to suppress the rising conviction that England might get seriously good now that a firing Taylor and Finn have been added to the mix. That’s real gluten, that is.” Ha, and Compton of course. He’s the gluten’s gluten.
1st over: England 1-0 (Cook 1, Hales 0) Morne Morkel, now the senior man in South Africa’s attack, bowls the first ball to Cook, who works it off the pads for a single. There are thousands of England fans around the ground. Morkel’s first ball to Hales, just short of a length, whistles through to de Kock. He will be encouraged by that bounce, and tests it out again with a trampoling bouncer that would have gone for four byes but for a sinew-straining leap from de Kock.
Mike Atherton, on commentary, is reminiscing about the thoroughly miserable 1996 Test on this ground. England have been thrashed here in three of the four Tests since readmission.
“Morning Rob, Happy New Year from Cape Town,” writes my colleague Ali Martin. “First time at Newlands for me (bar the preview day yesterday) and have to say, it’s a very special place indeed. No cloth on Table Mountain at present, skies blue and England batting. Big opportunity for the batsmen and also excited to watch this young tearaway fast bowler Kagiso Rabada for the first time in the flesh. Best to everyone following on the OBO. Also, a raise of the bat for umpire Aleem Dar today ... 100 Tests of handing jumpers to fast bowlers and putting balls through metal gauges.”
It does look stunning, even on a miniature TV screen in an empty office in Kings Cross, London, England. And congratulations to Aleem Dar. For a year or two in the early 2010s his umpiring was as good as I’ve seen.
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There have been some funny matches at Newlands in recent years. Australia were dismissed for 47 in 2011 and New Zealand for 45 in 2013. The general consensus is that life is futile the ball should do a bit in the first session. But if England get through that, on a pitch that should turn, they will be in a cracking position.
An email “New Year resolutions come and go (talking of Michelangelo) but more importantly, do you possess fresh undercrackers with which to sit astride the OBO hoards and guide them on to victory?” says Ian Copestake. “Me hopes so, sir.”
Look, it was an early start. You can’t remember everything when you get up in the small hours. The undergrundies were the last thing on my mind. I managed to brush my teeth though?
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A stat that will doubtless mean bugger all when England are 50 for seven at lunch
England’s XI have 974 Test wickets between them; South Africa’s have 271.
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Rankings watch If South Africa lose this series, India will go top of the ICC Test table. I’m not quite sure what to say about that. I suppose it would reflect the fact that, for the first time in decades, there are no outstanding Test teams around. It gives England something to aim for, especially as they go to India next winter.
Team news
James Anderson returns for England in place of Chris Woakes. South Africa have whittled their 97-man squad down to 11. Out: JP Duminy and the injured pair of Dale Steyn and Kyle Abbott. In: Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada and the debutant Chris Morris. I’m looking forward to seeing Rabada, who is seriously quick.
South Africa van Zyl, Elgar, Amla (c), de Villiers, du Plessis, Bavuma, de Kock (wk), Morris, Piedt, Morkel, Rabada
England Cook (c), Hales, Compton, Root, Taylor, Stokes, Bairstow (wk), Moeen, Broad, Anderson, Finn
Looks like Chris Morris is playing, which is as good an excuse as any to watch this again: https://t.co/toJPnorCn5
— Rob Smyth (@robsmyth0) January 2, 2016
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England have won the toss and will bat first
A beautiful day, a dry pitch – that was a pretty simple decision for Alastair Cook.
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Preamble
Morning. You’ve already broken your New Year’s resolution, haven’t you? You made all those tearful promises to me and the kids about giving up to get this family back on track. Look, don’t deny it, I saw the evidence in the recycling. You’ve been on the bloody gluten!
Most of us break our resolutions in the first few days of January, because we are human and weak. England will hope to make theirs last a little longer. One of their main aims for this year, in Test cricket, is to follow up a win with another win, or at least a draw.
In 2015 they won six Tests: four times they lost the next match, with the Trent Bridge Ashes Test the eye-widening exception. The sixth was at Durban the other day, an encouragingly emphatic team performance from a side who has been previously been a bit over-reliant on individual brilliance.
It felt like an important step in the development of this likeable, talented England side. With South Africa in a bit of a mess, there is a good chance to extend or at least hold their lead before the return of Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn changes the mood of the series. If they can go 2-0 up with two to play, it really will be a win-win situation.
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Pre-preamble Rob will be here shortly. Meanwhile, read Mike Selvey on why this looks to be a bleak new year for South Africa.
The England team arrived in Cape Town for new year: families, kids, the hotel in Newlands with its spectacular backdrop of Table Mountain, and an overwhelming victory in the first Test in Durban under their belt.
What’s not to like? They began the year in turmoil and have ended it on a high, hammering the No1 Test side in the world on their own turf.
For South Africa, though, it has been a calamitous plummet. They have ended the year still perched on top of the tree but it is notional only. There is a state of flux in world Test cricket, so it is hard to pinpoint which team deserve to be regarded as the best. The only certainty is that it is no longer South Africa.
Just a few facts serve to illustrate how fast and far they are tumbling: one Test win from eight in the year, and that the new year match against West Indies in Cape Town, and four of the last five matches lost. They may have been thwarted by July rain in Bangladesh but even then the home side had the first-innings advantage in the first game in Chittagong. South Africa’s 248 in that match is their highest in any innings since the defeat of West Indies. If England do not lose at Newlands, it will be the longest winless streak for South Africa in almost a quarter of a century since readmission.
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