Lunch South Africa 324 for 8 (Philander 21*, Maharaj 5*) trail England 458 by 135 runs
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Moeen Ali claimed Temba Bavuma as his third wicket of the innings © Getty Images
A 36-ball half-century from Quinton de Kock repelled England’s advances on the third morning at Lord’s but his dismissal ten minutes before the lunch interval left South Africa facing a hefty first-innings deficit. De Kock had dominated the scoring during a rapid eighth-wicket stand with Vernon Philander but James Anderson finally struck with the second new ball to tighten England’s grip.
Temba Bavuma, on 48 not out overnight, had gone to his fifty early on and in the company of South Africa’s nightwatchman, Kagiso Rabada, held up England for the first 40 minutes of the morning session but Joe Root’s decision to turn to spin brought breakthroughs in consecutive overs. Liam Dawson claimed his first wicket in a home Test and Moeen Ali his third in the innings, to united de Kock and Philander on 248 for 7.
De Kock arrived low in the order, at No. 8, but not low on confidence. Stuart Broad was twice taken for three fours in an over as de Kock, who scored his maiden Test hundred against England last year, set about matching the grand surroundings of Lord’s with an innings of equivalent pomp. Philander, meanwhile, dealt bravely with some variable bounce against Anderson from the Pavilion End.
Although Broad found shape to beat de Kock’s outside edge in his first over with the second new ball, he was soon sent on to the back foot: Broad’s next three deliveries were dispatched to the rope – clipped off the legs, cut and then driven square. The final over of Broad’s spell saw him receive similar treatment, with the last of de Kock’s three fours in five balls a magisterial, rubber-wristed drive through midwicket.
Moeen then replaced Broad from the Nursery End but de Kock got stuck into him, too, twice skipping out to loft the spinner over mid-on to go to his half-century – the second-fastest in Lord’s Tests. With the adrenalin still pumping, however, he threw his hands at a drive in the next over and was scooped up by the diving Stokes at point.
Anderson had bowled almost exclusively to Philander to that point, though his only successes were counted in marks left on his opponent. One kept low, another hit a crack and jacknifed away from the right-hander – worrying signs, perhaps, for the team batting last – and Philander had just been beaten by a similar delivery when, next ball, he was rapped on the bottom hand by one that came back and jumped venomously off a length. Philander grimaced, received some treatment and got back to the job.
Rabada, having received a ban the previous evening for using some fresh language after dismissing Stokes on day one, struck three boundaries – as well as being denied another by the boot of umpire Paul Reiffel – and showed a good eye but eventually nicked Dawson into Jonny Bairstow’s gloves. That ended a stand of 41 and England made an even bigger breakthrough when Moeen had Bavuma taken at slip, playing back as a delightfully flighted ball drifted away and then spun in to clip the outside edge.
Root persisted with his spinners and the old ball for a couple more overs, before turning to his senior new-ball pair. De Kock’s Broad-side brought the deficit below 150 but Anderson had the last word.
Alan Gardner is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo