England 353 (Stokes 112, Cook 88) v South Africa
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Lunch report: Cook narrowly misses out on century
Ben Stokes secured his fifth Test century in spectacular style with successive sixes off South Africa’s left-arm Keshav Maharaj, and with last man James Anderson looking on from the non-striker’s end, before England were dismissed for 353 in the second Test at The Oval.
Anderson’s emergence at No. 11 with Stokes still nine short of his hundred persuaded him that it was time to crank things up. Maharaj’s second ball should have caused his downfall at deep midwicket only for South Africa’s captain Faf du Plessis to touch the boundary markers as he stretched to take the catch.
Undeterred, Stokes stretched to swing a ball well wide of off-stump down the ground and into the stands, leaving du Plessis to applaud his innings ruefully. His century secured, for good measure Stokes slog-swept the next one for a third six in a row.
The next over, from Morne Morkel, silenced Stokes, last out for 112 as he launched the bowler high to Kagiso Rabada, running in from long off.
Stokes’ 112 from 153 balls took England to 353 and ensured they gained full value from Alastair Cook’s stalwart resistance on the opening day. The score looked a handy one with unsettled weather forecast to remain for the rest of the Test.
South Africa were hampered by the loss of Vernon Philander, who was still laid low by a stomach bug and went to hospital for tests.
There was no 31st Test hundred for Cook – he fell 12 runs short when Morkel won an lbw decision – but Stokes played vigorously from the start of the second day as England reached lunch at 269 for 6.
Stokes struggled to maintain the same bullish mood once South Africa took the second new ball and, after lunch, was curbed more than once by unexpectedly steep bounce, against Rabada in particular.
Late-order allies slowly departed as he edged towards his century. Moeen Ali fell to an inside-edge onto his pad, Morkel the deserving bowler, for Quinton de Kock to hold the catch behind the stumps.
Toby Roland-Jones’ spirited 25 from 25 balls on Test debut gave glimpses of why he is viewed in county cricket as one of the game’s most dangerous late-order hitters. Chris Morris leaked 17 off an over to complete a miserable day, but Roland-Jones’ best shot was a pulled six off Rabada before he fell lbw to Maharaj’s arm ball.
Stuart Broad fell once again to the old one-two – softened up by a short ball, dismissed by something further up, Hashim Amla’s slip catch bringing Rabada a wicket.
Cook had fallen in the sixth over of the day, failing in a review of Morkel’s delivery, which struck him in line from around the wicket. Morkel, inured to a career in which his deliveries have flown over the top of the stumps, did not appeal all that enthusiastically, but Cook was well back in his crease.
Morkel’s wicket confirmed his excellent record against Cook as he dismissed him for the 10th time in Test cricket. No bowler has dismissed him on as many occasions.
South Africa bowled impressively at the start of the day as long as Philander and Morkel had the ball in their hands, but their support seamers posed less threat, with Stokes taking a particular liking to Morris.
Stokes’ response to Cook’s dismissal encapsulated his determination to press ahead as he pulled him regally through mid-on. Three overpitched deliveries in one over from Morris disappeared to the boundary and the left-arm spinner, Maharaj, conceded three more against Jonny Bairstow, one of them an advance to drive down the ground, a typically defiant repeat of the shot that caused his downfall at Trent Bridge.
England rattled up another 73 at nearly five an over as Bairstow gave Stokes enterprising support, making excellent use of the hour leading up to the second new ball. Unsurprisingly, South Africa took it immediately with England, at 256 for 5, threatening to break free.
Philander, who spent periods off the field on the opening with his illess, was an absentee, lasting only 40 minutes of the morning session before excusing himself once more and he would not bowl again.
Stokes had stood so far outside his crease against Philander, to negate his movement, that one half expected him to follow Philander into the dressing room and take guard.
But Rabada felt the benefit as he took the new ball for the first time in the series. Ten deliveries into the new ball and Bairstow was dislodged, pushing at one that bounced and moved away for du Plessis to take the catch at second slip, winding himself in the process.
The old ball had been much more to England’s liking. Morris found so much swing from the Dukes ball that he was unable to control it: he was one player, on this evidence, who did not benefit from South Africa’s decision to rest between Nottingham and The Oval rather than request a further three-day match against county opposition.
David Hopps is a general editor at ESPNcricinfo @davidkhopps
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo