Summary

Live Reporting

by Sam Drury

  1. Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    When you've got Laura Wolvaardt at the crease, anything is possible for South Africa.

  2. SA 98-1

    Trail by 297

    Sophie Ecclestone races through another over, just a single from it, but still no wicket for the England spinner.

    She will bowl all day if South Africa let her, though. That's exactly what they're doing for now. They do not want to take any risks against the world's leading bowler.

  3. Melissa Story
    Commentator on BBC Sounds

    As so often with this South African batting line-up, Wolvaardt is playing a huge role. If she can be the one to get that big hundred, then suddenly England's first-innings total, even though it looks big on paper, that late collapse could prove to be costly.

  4. 50 runs

    50 for Laura Wolvaardt

    SA 97-1

    A single first ball of the over gives Laura Wolvaardt another chance to reach her fifty.

    It takes until the last ball of the over but she gets there eventually, clipping Nat Sciver-Brunt to square leg for one.

    A composed half-century comes up from 99 balls.

  5. Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    It's been good from England. They've been so tight. Wolvaardt is still on 49.

  6. SA 95-1

    Two slips and a silly point in place as Sophie Ecclestone bowls to Laura Wolvaardt.

    Another maiden so Wolvaardt stays on 49. This has been an intriguing battle between two world-class performers.

  7. Melissa Story
    Commentator on BBC Sounds

    There's been a few occasions when Wolvaardt and Dercksen have played around their front pads. It hasn't posed too many risks against Sciver-Brunt and MacDonald-Gay's bowling because it's that slightly slower pace, but you can imagine it might cause more problems when there's pace on the ball.

  8. SA 95-1

    Maiden over from Nat Sciver-Brunt as she keeps Annerie Dercksen tied down, bowling full and straight with Amy Jones up to the stumps.

  9. SA 95-1

    Wolvaardt 49, Dercksen 32

    Laura Wolvaardt moves to within one of a half-century with a punch through the off side for two.

    With a little under 35 minutes left in the session, it has been South Africa's morning so far.

  10. Ffion Wynne
    BBC Sport cricket writer

    It looks like England might try and challenge Wolvaardt outside the off stump.

    It is where she's so strong and scores so many of her runs but if they cut off those scoring areas with fielders on the boundary and then have the slips in place, it will put a niggle of doubt in her mind. A bit of mind games from England, perhaps.

  11. SA 93-1

    Superb from Sophie Ecclestone.

    Turn and bounce to find the shoulder of Laura Wolvaardt's bat and the ball flies away wide of slip.

    Probably two on most grounds but four at Mangaung Oval this week because, you know, the boundaries are tiny.

  12. Henry Moeran
    Test Match Special commentator

    This is what we want to see. It's an intriguing battle between, you could argue, the world's best opener and the world's best bowler.

  13. SA 89-1

    After a very tidy first spell, Ryana MacDonald-Gay is replaced by Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones is up to the stumps as well. Just to give the South Africa bowlers something else to think about.

    Three singles from the over, Laura Wolvaardt keeps the strike which means we get another round of Wolvaardt v Ecclestone to start the next over.

  14. How's stat?!

    Rufus Bullough
    CricViz analyst

    Ecclestone's career averages speed by format for England:

    • T20I - 51.3 mph
    • ODI - 50.2 mph
    • Test - 48.4 mph

  15. SA 86-1

    I mentioned earlier that Sophie Ecclestone does seem to be giving the ball that much more flight today, certainly compared to what we see from her in white-ball cricket.

    That does mean the quicker, flatter ball becomes more of a surprise and it nearly catches Annerie Dercksen out at the end of her latest over.

  16. Ffion Wynne
    BBC Sport cricket writer

    South Africa have all the time in the world. It's just a matter of patience because they know if they get one past the outfield, it's four every time. That's what England did so well yesterday. It's just picking the gaps as they get in.

  17. SA 85-1

    Trail by 310

    Good over from Ryana MacDonald-Gay.

    The very straight line she is holding is really restricting South Africa's scoring options and the only runs come form a thick edge last ball.

    Streaky as it is, Annerie Dercksen will take those four runs.

  18. Ffion Wynne
    BBC Sport cricket writer

    That's what you've got to do with Sophie Ecclestone. If you get anything slightly short or wide, you have to capitalise. You know it's not going to come regularly. Getting that boundary takes all the pressure off for the last three balls of the over.

  19. SA 81-1

    Trail by 314

    Sophie Ecclestone rips one just past the outside edge of Laura Wolvaardt as the South Africa opener looks to drive.

    That turn will really encourage England's premier bowler.

    However, she concedes a run for the first time in the innings with a drag-down that is pulled in front of square for four by Wolvaardt.

    Ecclestone is quickly back on it, though, and looking increasingly dangerous.

  20. Ffion Wynne
    BBC Sport cricket writer

    We saw when England batted against South Africa's spinners yesterday, as the day went on it did get a little bit harder, with a bit of turn out there. The skiddy pace of MacDonald-Gay might be trickier than somebody like Filer, who's more express.