Published: Aug 06, 2017, 05:56 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 06, 2017, 06:03 PM (IST)
After South Africa collapsed for 226, bowler Morne Morkel bagged two wickets in the first session of Day Two of the fourth Test to keep his side in contest against England. South Africa had bowled exceptionally well on the opening day, reducing England to 260 for 6. But it was Jonny Bairstow’s 99 that pushed England’s score to 362 at the end of their innings on Day Two. Later, James Anderson’s 4-for guided the hosts’ bowlers to reduce South Africa to 220 for 9 at the end of Day Two.
Mornie Morkel and Duanne Olivier stuck around at the crease for the initial few overs, showing decent defense. However, they could only add 6 runs, including a boundary, as Stuart Broad dismissed Olivier soon after. Broad bowled a short one, which Olivier mistimed only to give a catch to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow. South Africa were bundled for 226, handing England a 136-run first innings lead.
Faf du Plessis handed the ball to Morkel and Kagiso Rabada to open bowling. Morkel provided South Africa with the perfect start, removing Alastair Cook for 10. It was a full-length delivery which Cook tried to drive away from him but edges it instead. Theunis de Bruyn at gully made no mistake to stick to the catch.
Morkel removed Tom Westley in almost a similar fashion, bowling another full-length delivery outside off-stump and making him drive. Just like Cook, Westley also edged the ball trying to drive it, and substitute fielder Aiden Markram took a safe catch.
Keaton Jennings stayed at the crease and paired up with Joe Root after the wickets, and the two brought up fifty for England.
Earlier, South Africa had failed to put up any competition with the bat as an Anderson-led English bowling attack struck repeatedly on Saturday to not let any South Africa batsmen score even a half-century. Temba Bavuma’s 46 was the highest score in the innings.
Brief scores
England 362 and 53 for 2 (Keaton Jennings 17*, Joe Root 13*; Morne Morkel 2 for 22) lead South Africa 226 (Hashim Amla 30, Temba Bavuma 46, Faf du Plessis 27; James Anderson 4 for 33, Moeen Ali 2 for 48) by 189 runs
