England v South Africa fourth Test: Live over-by-over commentary
Fourth Test scoreboard
South Africa trail by 142 runs
South Africa 1st inns: 220-9 (68.3 overs. Bavuma 46, Amla 30, du Plessis 27, Kuhn 24, de Kock 24, Rabada 23; Anderson 4-33, Broad 2-45, Moeen Ali 2-57, Roland-Jones 1-41)
England 1st inns: 362 (108.3 overs. Bairstow 99, Stokes 58, Root 52, Cook 46, Westley 29, Malan 18, Jennings 17, Moeen Ali 14; Rabada 4-91, Maharaj 2-58, Olivier 2-91, Morkel 2-92)
Reviews remaining: England 1 South Africa 2
Anderson gets two in three balls in inspired spell
TRJ gets Amla for third time in three innings
Anderson strikes in first over from James Anderson End
Bairstow blasts 99 to take England past 350
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Fourth Test day two commentary
STUMPS: South Africa, 220-9, trail by 142
Very, very good day for England. Started by Bairstow, followed up by Anderson and finished off by another wonder-catch for Stokes' growing collection. Should be a series-clinching day barring something extraordinary between the forecast showers over the next few days.
WICKET! Rabada c Stokes b Broad 23
Ludicrous antics from Stokes to bring the day's play to a close three balls early. Rabada edges low to fourth slip, where Stokes goes to his left and grabs the ball one-handed an inch from the turf.
Over 68: South Africa 219-8 (Rabada 23, Morkel 17)
Disappointing lack of nonsense. Should be nonsense guaranteed when part-time leg-spin and tail-enders collide. Should be all long-hops and full-tosses and swipes and mows. We do end up with seven off the over, which is acceptable, but only via a few singles and a good shot clubbed down the ground off a perfectly decent flighted delivery.
1823: DAWID MALAN PART-TIME LEG-SPIN KLAXON
Over 67: South Africa 212-8 (Rabada 18, Morkel 15)
Broad howls in frustration as an outside edge from Morkel goes straight to where third slip should be but isn't and away for four. Adds a single with a solid push to mid-on. Rabada unfurls a sweet off-drive and picks up four more. This one of the better partnerships South Africa have produced today.
Over 66: South Africa 203-8 (Rabada 14, Morkel 10)
Morkel decides to get the loosen the long levers and take Moeen on. Back-to-back fours down the ground. Lovely stuff. Mid-off drops back to long-off, so Morkel just calmly takes the single down the ground.
Over 65: South Africa 194-8 (Rabada 14, Morkel 1)
Rabada plays and misses twice before flashing hard over the top of slip for four. Broad looks pretty miffed about it for a man who has scored about 73% of his own Test runs by that exact method.
Over 64: South Africa 190-8 (Rabada 10, Morkel 1)
Morkel survives a maiden over from Moeen. Loses four runs by whacking one ball straight into the stumps at the non-striker's end.
Over 63: South Africa 190-8 (Rabada 10, Morkel 1)
This hasn't been very good really from South Africa. Not a completely straightforward pitch to bat on, but it's nowhere near a 200 all out deck if you apply yourself properly. England were probably slightly above par, but only slightly. England have bowled well, mind. And, just as importantly, found the edges the new batsman Morkel kept missing. He gets off the mark with a clipped single to deep square-leg. He'll keep the strike, which Moeen won't mind at all.
WICKET! De Kock c Bairstow b Broad 24
Another batsman gets in and gets out. Let's try and be grown-ups and avoid any crude jokes here. Bit of away movement from Broad finds the edge, and a tumbling Bairstow does the rest.
Over 62: South Africa 189-7 (de Kock 24, Rabada 10)
Short and wide again from Moeen, and de kock doesn't miss out this time. Rocks back, waits and waits before hitting it almost out of Bairstow's gloves. Keeps the strike with a quick single, Rabada safely home despite an umpire's referral that is sorted after one replay.
Over 61: South Africa 184-7 (de Kock 19, Rabada 10)
I'm putting Rabada on the same list as Maharaj. Should definitely score more runs. Ludicrous that his top score after 20 Tests is just 34. He can clearly bat, and gets to double figures here with a neat clip to leg off the returning Broad.
Over 60: South Africa 182-7 (de Kock 18, Rabada 9)
Sharp spin takes the ball past de Kock's outside edge but also scuppers Bairstow's hopes of completing a stumping. All he can do to stick out a leg and stop the ball. De Kock gets two for a firm push past cover but then misses out on a short, wide one as he cloths it straight to point.
Over 59: South Africa 180-7 (de Kock 16, Rabada 9)
Back-to-back boundaries for Rabada. The first is a bit lucky, a genuine edge through gully, but the second is picked up over midwicket off his toes in smart fashion.
Over 58: South Africa 172-7 (de Kock 16, Rabada 1)
Rabada with the middle of the southpaw hat-trick sandwich last week, but no such drama today. He gets off the mark with a single.
Over 57: South Africa 171-7 (de Kock 16, Rabada 0)
Two slips and two gullies for de Kock, who ends Roland-Jones' over by edging the ball perfectly into that gap.
Over 56: South Africa 167-7 (de Kock 12)
Moeen Ali now has 20 wickets for the series. Not bad for a second-choice spinner...
WICKET! Maharaj lbw b Moeen Ali 13
Eventful over. Maharaj avoids the follow-on by whacking Moeen over long-on, and then slices a cut to third-man for four more. He then walks right across his stumps for some reason and tries to play French cricket. Very lbw.
Over 55: South Africa 156-6 (de Kock 11, Maharaj 3)
De Kock jumps out of his bunker to pull Roland-Jones behind square-leg for four. Adds a single with a clip off his pads.
Over 54: South Africa 151-6 (de Kock 6, Maharaj 3)
De Kock gets a single off a thick inside edge. Maharaj has a big hack at the last ball of the over and thinks about a single after Moeen fumbles. Wisely decides against it.
Over 53: South Africa 150-6 (de Kock 5, Maharaj 3)
Deserved rest for Anderson. Roland-Jones returns with a maiden.
Over 52: South Africa 150-6 (de Kock 5, Maharaj 3)
Drop! Big deflection, but Bairstow will feel he might have done better. Just came up too early on it and couldn't cling on with his fingertips. Maharaj survives. Three dropped catches from England among this flurry of wickets.
Over 51: South Africa 147-6 (de Kock 4, Maharaj 1)
Rarely seen de Kock having to scratch around for runs like this. Now four from 32 after another Anderson maiden.
Over 50: South Africa 147-6 (de Kock 4, Maharaj 1)
Maharaj has spent this series looking like quite a handy batsman without actually scoring any runs. Plays out a maiden from fellow spinner Moeen without much fuss.
Over 49: South Africa 147-6 (de Kock 4, Maharaj 1)
Keshav Maharaj the new batsman, and gets off the mark with a quick single to cover. Wisely deciding that the best way to deal with Anderson right now is to be literally anywhere else. South Africa have 147, but now require snookers.
WICKET! De Bruyn c Root b Anderson 11
Special spell this from one of the great bowlers. Classic half-bat-width away movement to find de Bruyn's outside edge, and Root does the rest at second slip.
Over 48: South Africa 142-5 (de Kock 4, de Bruyn 7)
De Kock works to leg for a single, before de Bruyn again goes for the reverse sweep. Again, he gets it pretty well but some good fielding in the deep from Roland-Jones and some slightly lazy running means he gets only two runs for it. Does get the run he should've got for that shot by nurdling to leg.
Over 47: South Africa 138-5 (de Kock 3, de Bruyn 4)
De Kock gets a single off the cue-end of his bat past Bairstow before de Bruyn is beaten all ends up by one that leaves him.
Over 46: South Africa 137-5 (de Kock 2, de Bruyn 4)
Another maiden over for Moeen. England squeezing South Africa here. The Proteas' hopes of salvaging something from this series hanging by a thread.
Over 45: South Africa 137-5 (de Kock 2, de Bruyn 4)
Proper examination this. De Kock, usually so free-scoring, on two from 18 balls after playing out a maiden from Anderson.
Over 44: South Africa 137-5 (de Kock 2, de Bruyn 4)
Drop! Two drops in two balls! De Kock cuts hard at Moeen and edges to Stokes at slip. Goes quickly, but he'd expect to take it. Almost a chance to grab it at the second attempt, but no. De Kock survives, and drives to deep cover for a single. De Bruyn gets himself off the mark by nailing a reverse-sweep for four. Fair play.
Over 43: South Africa 132-5 (de Kock 1, de Bruyn 0)
Drop! Anderson, unsurprisingly, has his tail up here. Ends a magnificent over with a brute that flies to gully off the shoulder of th bat. Jennings flings himself to his left and gets a hand to it but can't hold on.
Over 42: South Africa 132-5 (de Kock 1, de Bruyn 0)
Maiden over from Moeen as everyone tries to get their heads around Anderson's last over. Story of the game still very much batsmen getting in and getting out. Eleven batsmen dismissed between 14 and 58.
Over 41: South Africa 132-5 (de Kock 1)
The Quinton de Kock random batting position generator stops at number six. No sooner is he off the mark with a single than he's joined by Theunis de Bruyn.
WICKET! Du Plessis b Anderson 27
Anderson disturbs the timbers for a second time in the over. Dismissed twice shouldering arms when he should've played at The Oval, du Plessis now plays at one he could have left and gets an inside edge into middle and off.
WICKET! Bavuma b Anderson 46
Misjudgement from Bavuma, and it's another unconverted start in a series that could have brought him so much more. He shoulders arms here, and the ball from Anderson just grazes the off stump.
Over 40: South Africa 131-3 (Bavuma 46, du Plessis 27)
Close! Moeen threatening both edges of the bat again, getting one to drift and find du Plessis' outside edge. Bounces just short of Stokes at slip.
Over 39: South Africa 129-3 (Bavuma 45, du Plessis 26)
Anderson replaces the profligate Stokes, and starts with a gentle loosener that Bavuma drives sweetly to the cover fence. Not for the first time, Bavuma almost chops on but this time manages to get the ball bouncing up and over the stumps.
Over 38: South Africa 123-3 (Bavuma 40, du Plessis 25)
Not much help for Moeen with two right-handers. Bavuma eases to cover for a single, du Plessis gets a couple for a nudge past midwicket.
Over 37: South Africa 120-3 (Bavuma 39, du Plessis 23)
Not the best over from Stokes. Boundary balls on both sides of the wicket for du Plessis to pick off, and he does so with minimal fuss.
Over 36: South Africa 110-3 (Bavuma 39, du Plessis 13)
Just a single from Moeen's over, via du Plessis' outside edge.
Over 35: South Africa 109-3 (Bavuma 39, du Plessis 12)
Bavuma gets a couple of good-looking shots away on the legside off Stokes, but doesn't quite get either out of the middle. Pair of twos for his troubles, though. Has looked as good as any South African in this series without making a really big score. Great chance here.
Over 34:South Africa 104-3 (Bavuma 35, du Plessis 12)
Faf nails a drive to the cover fence as Moeen gives one a bit of air.
Over 33: South Africa 100-3 (Bavuma 35, du Plessis 8)
Bavuma almost chops on via the pad before carving Stokes over Jennings' head at that crazy-close third-slip-in-a-helmet position to bring up South Africa's 100. Might've had slightly more chance at orthodox third slip, but to be honest I think it's going over his head anyway.
Over 32: South Africa 96-3 (Bavuma 31, du Plessis 8)
Bavuma eases Moeen to deep cover for a single. Du Plessis adds two more with a firmer push.
TEA: South Africa, 93-3, trail by 269 runs
After a frenetic, often baffling morning, a return to the sort of hard-nosed, competitive cricket we saw yesterday as England winkle out two wickets at a cost of 80-odd. England fairly steady in the betting at around 8/13, with the Proteas out to 4/1 and the draw now at 3/1. Bavuma is an even-money Price Boost to top score.
Over 31: South Africa 93-3 (Bavuma 30, du Plessis 6)
Du Plessis off the mark with a push through cover for two before Stokes squares him up with a beauty that straightens off the pitch from a wide angle and finds the outside edge. Whistles away to the third-man boundary. Stokes accepts this setback with his usual calm equanimity.
Over 30: South Africa 87-3 (Bavuma 30, du Plessis 0)
Maiden over from Moeen to Bavuma, during which Sky show a montage of all the various ways Moeen has got Bavuma out before. It's quite good: stumped, caught slip, bowled, caught mid-off. Bairstow, meanwhile, produces his biggest contribution to the day's play by calling Moeen "Mozambique". Great needlessly-long nickname areas.
Over 29: South Africa 87-3 (Bavuma 30, du Plessis 0)
Two more for the compact, organised Bavuma, working the ball off his hip through midwicket. Adds a single with a similar shot to deep square-leg. Du Plessis was out leaving the ball twice at The Oval, so he will surely fall here playing at one that he doesn't need to. NAP.
Over 28: South Africa 84-3 (Bavuma 27, du Plessis 0)
Faf du Plessis the new batsman. His team is in bother.
WICKET! Kuhn c Stokes b Moeen Ali 24
Two balls after England butcher a run-out chance with both batsmen mid-pitch, Kuhn's vigil ends as he edges low to slip where Stokes pouches it. Half a thought about hanging around in the hope it might be sent upstairs to check it carried, but there's no doubt ther
Over 27: South Africa 83-2 (Kuhn 24, Bavuma 26)
Stokes into the attack. Kuhn awkwardly shovels a pull shot over the short-leg, and will actually get three because there's nobody out on the legside. Not even a fine/long-leg. Three more as Bavuma gets a thick inside edge down to the vacant fine-leg region. Not for the first time today, Bairstow has to leave his perch and do the tidying up.
Over 26: South Africa 77-2 (Kuhn 21, Bavuma 23)
Moeen into the attack for the first time. Has got Bavuma four times in the series, so might be that Root could've got Moeen on a bit earlier. Two singles from the over.
Over 25: South Africa 75-2 (Kuhn 20, Bavuma 22)
Short-leg nearly in business as Kuhn lunges forward to Broad and gets an inside edge that drops straight to ground rather than looping off the pad. Kuhn, battling away, then inside-edges a drive straight into his ankle. Ouch.
Over 24: South Africa 75-2 (Kuhn 20, Bavuma 22)
Chance! Kuhn runs on the shot after driving nicely to mid-off, but would've been just short of his ground had Anderson's throw found the target. Bavuma gets two rather safer runs after pushing the ball to Anderson's left. Rare offline delivery from Roland-Jones gets the treatment from Bavuma, who whips it through midwicket for four
Over 23: South Africa 68-2 (Kuhn 19, Bavuma 16)
See Over 21.
Over 22: South Africa 68-2 (Kuhn 19, Bavuma 16)
Thick inside edge brings Kuhn another single on the legside before Roland-Jones strikes Bavuma amidships with one that jags back off the seam. The one thing above all others that convinces me Roland-Jones will have a decent Test career over the next few years is his ability to extract something from the most placid of surfaces.
Over 21: South Africa 66-2 (Kuhn 18, Bavuma 15)
Maiden over from Broad, bowling with decent control in this spell but little menace.
Over 20: South Africa 66-2 (Kuhn 18, Bavuma 15)
Bairstow again haring off in pursuit of the ball towards third-man. Someone else at least beats him to the ball this time - Malan, also wearing pads due to his short-legging at the other end - but the attempted flick-back relay goes a bit awry and allows Bavuma a third run. Kuhn, who seems to have been 17 not out since the dawn of time, nurdles a single to fine-leg to finally reach 18. Bavuma keeps the strike with a single to midwicket. Roland-Jones ending the over with a minor loss of radar control there.
Over 19: South Africa 61-2 (Kuhn 17, Bavuma 11)
No short-leg! Kuhn gets a big inside edge on to the flap of his pad that loops up on the legside and lands safely about two yards from where the batsman stands. Absolute dolly for short-leg, who comes back in straight after that chance goes begging. Genuinely don't know why short-leg went out of fashion for quick bowlers.
Over 18: South Africa 61-2 (Kuhn 17, Bavuma 11)
Roland-Jones has decided to bowl for catches down the legside. Huge appeal against Bavuma, but Kumar Dharmasena says not out. England review, and it's a bit of a shocker really. Bat well away from the ball, which flicked the thigh-pad on its way through to Bairstow. Bavuma gets two for a punch off the back foot.
Over 17: South Africa 59-2 (Kuhn 17, Bavuma 9)
Broad turns round to replace Anderson from the James Anderson End. Bavuma clips him away nicely through midwicket. Longest part of the ground out there, and Dawid Malan is able to reel it in and save a run.
Over 16: South Africa 56-2 (Kuhn 17, Bavuma 6)
New Balance have had a shocker with the jumpers for this series. England's are the wrong colour, and South Africa's are all starting to fail around the trim. Kuhn has loose threads on both sides of his jumper. Not good enough.
Over 15: South Africa 56-2 (Kuhn 17, Bavuma 6)
Controlled back-foot steer behind point brings Bavuma two. Last ball of the over thuds into Bavuma's right thigh. Now Bavuma is not by any stretch a tall man, but even so that's going well over the top despite Anderson's rather optimistic pleadings to the contrary.
Over 14: South Africa 54-2 (Kuhn 17, Bavuma 4)
Maiden over from Roland-Jones, but Kuhn lining the ball up better than he has in the series to date. Leaving the ball well - he's chopped a couple on in this series playing when he needn't.
Over 13: South Africa 54-2 (Kuhn 17, Bavuma 4)
Kuhn drives carefully back past Anderson for a couple, and trots a single after working the ball to Broad's right hand at mid-on. Looking as solid as he has at any point in the series.
Over 12: South Africa 51-2 (Kuhn 14, Bavuma 4)
Bavuma up to number four in the latest South African reshuffle, and promptly gets off the mark with a controlled, soft-handed edge along the ground between slips and gully. Roland-Jones now has nine Test wickets, three of which are Hashim Amla. James Anderson, by comparison, has 481 Test wickets, two of which are Hashim Amla.
WICKET! Amla c Bairstow b Roland-Jones 30
Huge wicket for England. Roland-Jones strikes in his first over to remove Amla for the third time in three innings. Amla had looked supreme in racing to 30 not out, but has feathered one down the legside through to Bairstow. Can barely drag himself from the pitch.
Over 11: South Africa 43-1 (Kuhn 14, Amla 26)
Uneven bounce appears to be the biggest danger to batsmen at the moment. There's been a grubber in each of Anderson's last two overs, Kuhn this time opting to dig it out rather than let it go.
Over 10: South Africa 42-1 (Kuhn 14, Amla 25)
With the ball no longer swinging and the outfield getting quicker, batting looking a straightforward task right now. Helps if you're as good as Amla, of course. Drives Broad through mid-off with sweet timing, then punches off the back foot when the bowler drags his length back. Scampers a quick single after defending into the covers, and Amla just starting to look ominously good here.
Over 9: South Africa 33-1 (Kuhn 14, Amla 16)
Bairstow can't glove a grubber outside the off stump, the ball pinging off his thumb for a painful bye. Never seem to be straight, those deliveries. Kuhn almost falls into a trap, punching the ball slightly uppishly but away from a man in close at cover-point. Gets a couple of runs for it.
Over 8: South Africa 30-1 (Kuhn 12, Amla 16)
Bairstow hasn't contributed enough today, so he's sent to chase down a controlled Amla steer to third-man. Flings himself full-length to flick the ball back just inside the rope and save a run. Brilliant work, but surely one of the slips or gully could've got there quicker than Bairstow in his pads? Last ball of the over is full and tempts Kuhn into the drive. A thick outside edge scuds away all along the ground to the boundary. Broad ticking.
Over 7: South Africa 23-1 (Kuhn 8, Amla 13)
Couple of nice shots through the offside from Amla, first off the front foot for four as Anderson overpitches, and then off the back foot for three. Since lunch, there's been little sign of the swing that made batting so troublesome in those opening four overs. Because it's stopped swinging, England try to kid the umpires on that it's gone out of shape. Bowlers, captains and umpires have all danced this dance before. England will keep asking, and eventually the ball will be changed.
Over 6: South Africa 16-1 (Kuhn 8, Amla 6)
Filth from Broad and even a batsman struggling as Kuhn has in this series won't miss out there. Short, wide and crashed away through point for four.
Over 5: South Africa 12-1 (Kuhn 4, Amla 6)
Anderson kicks off the afternoon session with a maiden over, watchfully played by Amla.
LUNCH: South Africa, 12-1, trail by 350 runs
Yeah, that's a good session for England. Long way back for South Africa to win this now after giving away far too many runs to England's tail and then losing Elgar in the Tricky Little Session before lunch. England now 8/15 from a pre-play 4/5, with South Africa out to 9/2 and the draw 100/30. Hashim Amla is an 11/4 Price Boost to top-score for the Proteas.
Over 4: South Africa 12-1 (Kuhn 4, Amla 6)
Slight hesitation from Amla as he takes a quick single off Broad but gets home safely. Point fielder - I think it's Jennings - didn't really attack the ball. Might've been half a chance if he had. Kuhn almost nicks a couple but, like England's players all day yesterday, decides in the end to just keep playing and missing instead. Good tactic.
Over 3: South Africa 11-1 (Kuhn 4, Amla 5)
Anderson snakes one past Kuhn's groping, hopeful forward defensive shot but then gets a bit greedy going for the magic delivery swinging from leg stump to off. Always seems to just go straight on once you start it on that line, and Kuhn helps himself to four through midwicket. Clipped away nicely. Last ball of the over is a snorter that would've got better players than Kuhn in a tangle. It squares him up, seams away and bounces to whistle past the shoulder of the bat and through to Bairstow at head height. Oof.
Over 2: South Africa 7-1 (Kuhn 0, Amla 5)
Short-leg in place. Good. South Africa missed a trick by not using one more early in England's innings. Amla tucks a couple safely past Malan under the lid for two runs apiece, but it's one more thing for the batsmen to think about. Another thing to think about is Broad's haircut. He's had a very severe short back and sides, and is giving off a Peaky Blinders vibe. Not necessarily a bad thing. And he's the sort of handsome chap who can carry off any look. I hate him.
Over 1: South Africa 3-1 (Kuhn 0, Amla 1)
That's a big early wicket for England. Elgar played so well at The Oval and has been the opener to pose England some problems. Also gets Hashim Amla to the crease early. He calmly gets off the mark with a clip to leg. He's seen it all before. Last ball of the over squirts off a thick outside edge as Kuhn attempts to work to leg, and lands just short of Ben Stokes at gully.
WICKET! Elgar lbw b Anderson 0
James Anderson strikes from the James Anderson End! Takes him all of three balls to arc one into Dean Elgar's pads and trap him plumb in front. Crashing into middle-and-leg.
END OF INNINGS: England 362 (108.3 overs)
When the disappointment fades, Bairstow can reflect on an innings that might just have secured series victory for England given the forecast over the next few days. South Africa were pretty good for an hour this morning, and then completely lost the plot. It may well cost them.
WICKET! Bairstow lbw b Maharaj 99
That is outrageously unlucky. Bairstow given out lbw on the sweep and on review it is a millimetre away from being outside the line. But that is one of the great marshallings of a tail. England have added 102 runs in 18.4 overs this morning, exactly 50 for the last wicket, and 66 for Bairstow from 73 balls. Somehow fitting that Bairstow is the unlucky 13th man (Athers did it twice) to be out for 99 in Tests for England.
Over 108: England 362-9 (Bairstow 99, Anderson 4)
Good cricket from Bairstow, but it's woeful from South Africa. The field is spread far and wide, and Bairstow literally gets two for a forward defensive. Too easy. A drive out to deep cover gets two more, and Bairstow shows his faith in Anderson by taking a single to reach 99 not out with two balls of the over to go. At least Anderson is unlikely to try and reverse-sweep Olivier. Wouldn't fully rule it out, mind. Almost gloves the fifth ball of the over, but successfully digs out the last ball of the over. Back to you, Jonny.
Over 107: England 357-9 (Bairstow 94, Anderson 4)
Look, on the one hand, Anderson should obviously be blocking for Bairstow here. On the other, when you've got an end of the ground named after you then you can do what you like, up to and including reverse-sweeping the second ball you face from a spinner. Hits him on the pad, and it's a decent lbw shout. South Africa review, obviously; they've got two in hand. It's really, really close this, but it's clipping the bails says Hawk-Eye, and the umpire's call verdict is enough to save him. Celebrates by thumping the next ball to the cover boundary. Back over to Bairstow, who has no ends of this ground named after him.
Over 106: England 353-9 (Bairstow 94, Anderson 0)
Brilliant from Bairstow. Simply brilliant. Duanne Olivier into the attack for the first time today, and Bairstow scoops him to fine-leg for four before clubbing him down the ground for the full count. Bairstow tries to dab the last ball of the over to third-man for a single but accidentally times the pants off it and gets four. So South Africa do have Anderson in their sights. Thus far he's faced seven balls in a partnership worth 41.
Over 105: England 339-9 (Bairstow 80, Anderson 0)
Faf's getting this wrong. It's all gone "a bit Headingley 2014" when Mathews made a fool of Alastair Cook. Nine men on the boundary, and Bairstow places the ball into gaps between them to collect a pair of twos. When the field comes in, he back-cuts for four and then just calmly tucks the last ball of the over down to long-leg for a single. South Africa have taken the negative option, and aren't even doing that properly. Stuff that last ball down leg. Bowl a bouncer. Don't let him get the single easily.
Over 104: England 330-9 (Bairstow 71, Anderson 0)
Bairstow doing this very well this morning. Chips Morkel over midwicket and times the ears off it to beat the two men out on the fence and collect four more. This time he turns down the single from ball four, and the field comes in. Bairstow now has two options: look for the single, or play the big shot. Chooses option B, and crunches the ball over mid-off for four more. Perfect over for England as Bairstow tip-and-runs the last ball. Doesn't beat gully, but Anderson know his role and is off and scampering to get home.
Over 103: England 321-9 (Bairstow 62, Anderson 0)
Woof! Bairstow absolutely crunches a drive straight back past Rabada for four, and then once again takes a single from the fourth ball of the over. Anderson again does the job, ending the first hour with a broad-batted forward defensive. Get past that, the Burnley Lara seems to say.
Over 102: England 316-9 (Bairstow 57, Anderson 0)
Stalemate for the first half of the over with the field set deep and Bairstow turning down singles. Decides to risk the run from ball four, leaving Anderson two to survive. The first is full and wide from Morkel, and Anderson has no interest in doing anything with that. Second is short but a big legsidish, and Anderson is able to get inside the line of it safely enough. Back over to Bairstow.
Over 101: England 315-9 (Bairstow 56, Anderson 0)
Drop! Been excellent all series, but it's started going wrong for de Kock ever since he stood and watched that edge from Root go past. Really full delivery from Rabada finds the edge, but de Kock going low to his right can't hold on. Bairstow deflects to third-man and runs hard to get back for a second. Heino Kuhn probably should've done better at third-man there, but Bairstow was always coming back. Field comes in for the last ball of the over, and Bairstow gets lucky. Tries to work to leg for a single, but gets a leading edge to the left of mid-off that allows him to scamper through and retain the strike.
Over 100: England 312-9 (Bairstow 53, Anderson 0)
Huge ovation for James Anderson as he walks to the crease, and another as he successfully blocks his first ball. Plays and misses at the next but, to be fair, everyone else has done that against Morkel so why shouldn't the number 11?
WICKET! Broad b Morkel 7
Broad supporting Bairstow in his own inimitable style by getting bowled on the drive third ball for seven. Magnificent. Literally drove all three balls he faced in that innings. The second flew off the edge for four, the third ended with a mangled off stump.
Over 99: England 307-8 (Bairstow 52, Broad 3)
A solid push through cover gets Broad off the mark first ball. Keshav Maharaj chases it very, very gingerly. So gingerly, in fact, that Broad and Bairstow are able to complete three runs. Maharaj got through 29 overs yesterday and was off the field at one point in the morning. Certainly not on top form this morning. Bairstow clips the last ball of Rabada's over to long-leg to keep the strike.
WICKET! Moeen Ali c du Plessis b Rabada 14
Second wicket of this helter-skelter morning as Moeen dangles a bat obligingly outside the off stump and edges low to second slip, where du Plessis makes no mistake. Now to bring some measured composure to the morning, here comes Stuart Broad.
Over 98: England 303-7 (Bairstow 51, Moeen Ali 14)
Bairstow to 50, England past 300. A thick inside edge brings Bairstow two to reach 49, before a rank long-hop from Morkel is dispatched behind point. Not been much loose stuff from Morkel, but that was crying out to be smashed. England racing along this morning, Bairstow has his third half-century of the series.
Over 97: England 297-7 (Bairstow 45, Moeen Ali 14)
Rabada goes round the wicket to Moeen and digs in a short ball. Line's wrong, though, and Moeen can just help that round the corner to the vacant fine-leg boundary. Morkel begins to trudge round from long-leg but is sent back. One of those lazy batsmen standing in the slips goes after it instead. Quite right. Uppish drive brings two more, before a glorious pull shot, played with full control and well in front of square, brings four more. After yesterday's battle the game is moving forward rather quicker today. England 37-1 in the opening half-hour.
Over 96: England 287-7 (Bairstow 45, Moeen Ali 4)
Bairstow goes after some width from Morkel and flays the ball over gully down to the third-man boundary for four. Think he was happier when he was beating the edge, to be honest. Quality shot to follow from Bairstow, rocking back and punching through cover off the back foot for four more. The pitch may not get much easier for batting, but the outfield is definitely quicker. Pretty sure Bavuma would've reeled that in and saved a run yesterday. Expensive over for South Africa as the final ball of it is slanted down leg and races away to the fine-leg boundary via Bairstow's pad. There's no fine-leg, so de Kock has to give notional pursuit.
Over 95: England 275-7 (Bairstow 37, Moeen Ali 4)
So England's baffling negativity with the nightwatchman last night does give South Africa an early day-two boost. Moeen Ali, who has opened the batting for England, strides in at number nine and promptly joins in with the batting craze sweeping the nation by playing and missing a couple of times. Gets off the mark gloriously, though, with a handsome punch drive through mid-on.
WICKET! Roland-Jones c Bavuma b Rabada 4
Roland-Jones gets a drive away to the cover boundary and, emboldened, attempts to repeat the trick next ball. Plinks it straight to point, where Temba Bavuma takes a while to pick up the flight of the ball, but it's travelling so gently he has plenty of time to find it and pouch the catch safely at chest height.
Over 94: England 267-6 (Bairstow 37, Roland-Jones 0)
Hasn't done this since it caused him all that strife at Lord's, but Morkel oversteps. By a long way, too. Something he has done repeatedly is pass the outside edge, and he does so again twice here. Half a shout for the second, because Bairstow clips his pad with his bat. Nowhere near the ball, though. Bad end to a good over as a leg-stump half-volley gets the treatment through square-leg for the first runs off the bat after three extras.
Over 93: England 262-6 (Bairstow 33, Roland-Jones 0)
First run of the morning comes via TRJ's hip. Possibly a second run available as Quinton de Kock gives chase from behind the stumps, but Bairstow and Roland-Jones opt for caution. Scruffy start to the morning for de Kock, who fumbles a routine take from a bouncer and then concedes a bye after failing to glove one down the legside. He looks in a bit of pain; sore hands par for the course at the end of a packed-in four-Test series like this one.
Over 92: England 260-6 (Bairstow 33, Roland-Jones 0)
In keeping with his policy of constantly going past the outside edge, Morne Morkel goes past Jonny Bairstow's outside edge. Back-to-back maidens to start day two. There's a theory doing the rounds that batting will be easier today. Not so sure myself. There's so much moisture just below the surface of this pitch that I think there's always going to be a bit there for bowlers of all stripes. Even with rain around for the rest of the Test, this is an awful long way from a stick-on draw.
Over 91: England 260-6 (Bairstow 33, Roland-Jones 0)
Haha, remember when England sent in a nightwatchman for a number eight, and then the nightwatchman didn't even face a ball? Great times. Toby Roland-Jones plays out a maiden from Kagiso Rabada, making no contact with a couple of ambitious drives.
1045: Welcome. Nicely set up this morning. South Africa have a pretty new ball, England have some runs on the board but not enough yet do have the resources available to add significantly on what is another decent sunny day after all the rain earlier in the week in Manchester.
The cliche of the crucial first session is spot on this morning. If England have a good session here, they can take a huge step towards winning this series. A good morning for South Africa, though, and everything is back in play.
England start the day as 4/5 favourites, with South Africa 3/1 and the draw 11/4. Testament to yesterday's tough, competitive cricket that those are almost identical to the pre-match odds.
Updated emoji weather forecast for the remaining four days: ⛅️ 🌧 🌧 🌧
Highlights from yesterday: