50 for Nat Sciver-Bruntpublished at 42.2 overs

42.2 overs

Eng 193-2

England's star all-rounder has her fifty in no time.

Nat Sciver-Brunt sweeps Sune Luus for four to bring up her half-century from 46 balls.

Player.

Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

The one thing about bowling to Nat Sciver-Brunt is you don't want to just put it there. You've got to try to spin the ball and get some revs on it.

It's getting trickier to do that though with the wind picking up.

Kevin Howells
BBC Test Match Special commentator

If England become more positive it's risking making mistakes and giving wickets away. But they need to strive for runs on the board.

This is an interesting time in the game, it will be quite exciting.

The spin is proving a little bit more difficult.

Nat Sciver-Brunt gets four more with a mistimed club down the ground, a little lucky that the ball evades mid-off.

A couple of balls later, one keeps very low and she manages to jam her bat down on it for a single. I hope Sophie Ecclestone is watching!

Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

Now would be a good time to settle in for Maia Bouchier. There's nerves, she's thinking about her century and South Africa could really get into her head.

Eng 182-2published at 41 overs

41 overs

I'm just going to cover Srinivas here and say that he also added that he's really hoping that stat will not jinx Maia Bouchier.

Anyway, no danger of that. Maia Bouchier smashes a six down the ground to make her way into the 90s.

Srinivas Vijaykumar
Cricviz analyst

Century on debut for England in Women's Tests:

• Enid Bakewell - 113 v Australia in Adelaide, Dec 1968
• Lesley Cooke - 117 v India in Wetherby, Jun 1986
• Alice Davidson-Richards - 107 v South Africa in Taunton, Jun 2022

Concentrate, Maia!

England's opener has 87, but almost falls very softly by chipping one up towards mid-off, but it lands just short of the fielder.

Srinivas Vijaykumar
Cricviz analyst

England have been brilliant this session after the platform they set themselves in the opening session. They've attacked more post lunch and been a lot more secure doing so.

They attacked 35% deliveries this session compared to 24% in the first session, and played only 7% false shots this session v 13% in the first session.

A decent over from Tumi Sekhukhune, just a single from it, to offer South Africa a little breathing space after a dominant passage of play from England.

Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

Nonkululeko Mlaba hasn't had a great couple of overs. She needs to go fuller to Nat Sciver-Brunt who is so strong against spin. But if you go too full she will drive you through the covers.

You've got to make sure you've got your plans right and South Africa haven't lately.

England have raced along over the past few overs, with some assistance from poor bowling and the caveat of the under-13 sized boundaries.

Nat Sciver-Brunt reads length so quickly, hopping on to the back foot and carving Nonkululeko Mlaba for four through the covers, before producing some more nifty footwork to play the ball through mid-wicket.

Another big over, with 12 runs coming from it.

Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, Getty Images

Maia Bouchier is much more aggressive in ODI cricket so there is the slightest hint that she's holding back. They are trying to tempt her with width.

Annerie Dercksen tests Bouchier with the short ball but there's very little in this pitch for her to work with.

A thumping pull shot for four more takes England past 150, before she unveils yet another gorgeous straight drive for the same result and that completes a very productive over from the visitors' point of view.

Maia Bouchier moves to 76 with a back-foot punch for four.

She's got some decent timing on it but I just cannot get over the ridiculous boundaries. If you get it past the in-field, it's four every single time no matter how well you've struck it.

Daniel Norcross
Test Match Special commentator

Mlaba tossed up a short ball and then it just died in the pitch. There really is very little pace in there but we are seeing a little bit of turn.

Here's the first over of spin for the day, as Nonkululeko Mlaba comes into the attack.

Let's see if there's anything to excite Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone from the England camp.

Well, there won't be if you bowl there. A full delivery is thumped for four by Nat Sciver-Brunt, before the next ball keeps low but it's too short, and she gets that one away to the boundary as well.

A poor delivery from Annerie Dercksen is pulled firmly for four more by Bouchier, but the bowler responds well as Bouchier edges the next one - but it lands short of slip, well-fielded by Anneke Bosch who saves an almost certain boundary.

Srinivas Vijaykumar
Cricviz analyst

Sekhukhune has made the England batters play each of her deliveries so far with her stump-to-stump line in this spell. The batters have attacked/rotated 67% deliveries and defended 33% deliveries in the five overs.

Lydia Greenway
Former England batter on BBC Test Match Special

England have a Test match just around the corner so the more they play the game, the better. You have to support red-ball cricket domestically too though, once or twice a year doesn't allow players to progress.