Innings break South Africa 175 (Bavuma 52, Roland-Jones 5-57) trail England 353 by 178 runs
Temba Bavuma made fifty to take South Africa past the follow-on target © AFP
Toby Roland-Jones completed a five-wicket haul on Test debut as South Africa were dismissed for 175 – a deficit of 178 – on the third morning of the third Investec Test at the Kia Oval.
Roland-Jones led England from the field, raising his cap slightly bashfully, after returning 5 for 57- the first English quick to take a five-for on debut since Graham Onions in 2009. His last wicket was a good one: Temba Bavuma pushing forward to a ball that left him to fall to a keeper’s catch after making 52 from 120 balls.
Vernon Philander was conditionally discharged from hospital and came out to bat for South Africa at No. 11. His viral infection had not yet departed and he was still vomiting and suffering from abdominal pain. His involvement with the ball in England’s second innings remained hard to quantify.
Bavuma had been a serene figure even on the previous evening, as South Africa collapsed to 61 for 7 with the floodlights cutting through a grouchy south London evening, and he looked at ease again in more inviting batting conditions.
England’s difficulty was getting a bat in their hands. Eight down for spit overnight, and with Philander set to bat despite his illness, South Africa might have folded in no time. Instead they added another 52 as it took 15.4 overs for England to claim the last two wickets.
The stumps were blue to mark Cricket United Day, as were much of the crowd, an annual fund-raiser at The Oval for three charities. It is a pragmatic choice. If you are going to get a fair proportion of blokes to dress up in a colour for charity, it’s best to choose blue. It’s all some have in their wardrobe.
After his dream sequence on the second day, Roland-Jones found life had returned to normal as he began at the Vauxhall End. The comparison between him and the quick he replaced – Mark Wood – is instructional.
Roland-Jones is a classic English seamer, hitting the seam at an average of 83mph. Wood is the sort of explosive quick needed on more benign surfaces. But Wood has only averaged 86mph in his two Tests against South Africa. Averages tell only half the story, of course, as the potential for an occasionally quick ball is also important, but explosive bowlers need to explode.
Bavuma had attractive moments, particularly when driving through the off side, striking Stuart Broad to the extra cover boards to take South Africa past the follow-on and then stretching his diminutive frame to the utmost to plant Anderson in the same direction, although he was dropped off Broad on 40, Ben Stokes failing to cling to a rapid chance as he dived to his left in the gully. His half-century was also raised streakily when he edged Roland-Jones wide of the slips.
Morne Morkel also put up stubborn resistance, reaching 17 before he edged a back-of-a-length delivery from Anderson to Alastair Cook at first slip.
Roland-Jones might have picked up Philander on 5, but his edge flew wide of third slip. A one-legged flat-bat then lobbed over mid-off. But Philander survived, albeit not particularly healthily.
David Hopps is a general editor at ESPNcricinfo @davidkhopps
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo