Morne Morkel took four wickets, but England added 101 to their overnight total as they were bowled out for 458 on day two at Lord’s.
A huge response was needed from the Proteas in the morning session on day two at the Home of Cricket, after a day that saw them reflecting on what could have been. Dropped catches and wickets off no-balls allowed Joe Root to coast to 184, as England went in to the morning session on 357-5.
It was a new day, and despite Root becoming the sixth England batsman to score a century in his captaincy debut, he needed to start again. Alas, he could only add six more runs to his overnight total, as Morkel got the second new ball to move off the surface. Root found the edge to walk back for an excellent 190.
Liam Dawson could only last two balls as Morkel pinned him on the pads, and suddenly South Africa were right back in it. But then more frustration. Stuart Broad, without a half-century for four years, was treated to a barrage of short balls. When he was still only on four, Vernon Philander (3-67) kept one full and had a huge shout for lbw turned down by the umpire. Dean Elgar wasn’t having any of it either, but replays showed it was hitting.
Broad and Moeen Ali powered on, with Elgar left to reflect, once again, on what could’ve been. The pair added 46 before Moeen was castled from a fine, pacey delivery from Kagiso Rabada (3-123). For the second time in the session there were two wickets in one over as Rabada had Mark Wood lbw for a duck.
But England weren’t finished, as Broad and James Anderson proceeded to smash 45 off 27 balls. Broad responded to the short balls by hooking them for six, as back-to-back maximums allowed him to notch up an 11th Test half-century. Merkel (4-115) eventually took his fourth wicket to find Anderson’s edge for 12, but a very competitive 458 had been amassed, with Broad unbeaten on 57 from just 48 deliveries.
Elgar, in his first innings as Test captain, was tasked with seeing off four overs before lunch with Heino Kuhn, and they did so comfortably. Elgar (9) and Kuhn (1) will look to rise to the challenge in the second session, with the side on 10-0.
Photo: Phillip Brown/Gallo Images
