England heap more misery on Proteas to reach 172/3 at stumps

On a day when South Africa dropped three catches – off the bowling of Morne Morkel – as England steadily built their lead, it was an injury to Proteas spearhead Dale Steyn that would have come as the biggest blow. The fast bowler walked off with a right shoulder injury in the seventh over of the innings after having bowled 3.2 overs himself. It was announced by Cricket SA he would go for a scan after play, and he surprisingly came back on to bowl later in the session. Steyn bowled just three more deliveries, and fielded for the rest of the day.

Joe Root (60) and James Taylor (24) were the unbeaten batsmen at stumps as they put on 53 for the fourth-wicket. Root, though, was dropped on 6 by wicketkeeper AB de Villiers as he was given a timely reprieve.

Nick Compton (49) and Root had earlier put on a third-wicket 71-run stand. Compton was dropped twice in his knock, first Dean Elgar at second slip in what was a regulation catch with Compton on 11. And then Compton was dropped again on 45 by De Villiers. Morkel did manage to remove Compton two balls later, this time De Villiers taking the catch behind the stumps.

Morkel was by far the best bowler in the South African attack, and was hardly rewarded for his strong performance as he returned figures of 1/19.

Alastair Cook (7) and Alex Hales (26) were the wickets to fall in the middle session of play, both removed by spinner Dane Piedt (2/33).

Before lunch, Elgar was the shining light for the Proteas as he carried his bat with 118 with his side bowled out for 214 in their first innings, and a deficit of 89.

Aside from De Villiers who was out for 49 on day two, Elgar was the only batsman to defy the English attack led by Stuart Broad (4/25). There have been three Test hundreds by South African openers in the last two years including the knock of Elgar on Monday, the other two were also by the 28-year-old.

The Proteas lost the wickets of Temba Bavuma (15), JP Duminy (2) and Kyle Abbott for a duck after the hosts had resumed on 137/4 overnight.

But Elgar persisted with his dogged approach and reached his fourth Test century during the session. It was also just the second time a South African batsman passed the three figure mark in the calendar year, after AB de Villiers made 148 in the New Years Test against the West Indies in Cape Town. With such barren times for the South African batsmen, it meant there was added responsibility on the shoulders of Elgar to go on and make a big hundred.

Dale Steyn (18) hung around with Elgar as the pair put on 54 for the eighth wicket, but the Proteas tailender was eventually out playing an attempted lofted off-drive which he skied to Chris Woakes at mid-off off the bowling of Moeen Ali. The strike left the hosts eight down with 210 on the board and staring at a first innings deficit.

Ali, like Broad, ended with a four wicket haul returning figures of 4/69.

ANA

(File Photo)