Summary

  • Taylor 70, Compton 63*; Steyn 3-29

  • England recover from 12-2 and 49-3

  • Rain delays start; bad light ends play early

  • SA won toss; four-Test series

  1. Eng 89-3 (Compton 26, Taylor 24)published at 12:58

    Dane Piedt is getting the odd one to rip - which can worry a batsman more than playing on a raging Bunsen in Mumbai. After James Taylor is deceived against one such delivery, the right-hander uses his feet to get to the pitch of the ball. When the bowler drops short, he stays back and pulls four. Make that two fours in the over. Good batting.

  2. Eng 77-3 (29 overs)published at 12:55 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Nick Compton of England plays a shotImage source, Getty Images

    Compton in a nutshell in that over: five dot balls followed by a forcing shot off the back foot behind point for four. Patience followed by punishment. Cool as you like.

  3. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 12:54 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    #bbccricket

    AADZ: Good to see James Taylor finally been given a chance. Andy Flower was terrible towards this lad! #talent #persevearance.

  4. Eng 77-3 (28 overs)published at 12:51 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    There's no sign of the turn Piedt found to get Root. Taylor blocks, Taylor dances down the pitch and thinks about a single, Taylor squirts one to mid-wicket. A maiden.

  5. Eng 77-3 (27 overs)published at 12:49 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    South Africa need a wicket. Who do they turn to? Off-spinner Dane Piedt, of course, he who removed Joe Root with his first delivery earlier on.

  6. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 12:49 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    #bbccricket

    Jay: Compton is exactly the sort of batsman England have been missing for a while. Grind it out, bore the opposition to death, score. 

    Charles Duncan:Choice to switch Compton and Hales? Compton is calmer at the crease could make sense. But feel sorry for Cook now.

    Russell Anderson: Looking at Root's dismissal, imagine the damage a left-arm seamer's footmarks could have done bowling last on this....

  7. Eng 77-3published at 12:48 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Taylor scampers like no batsmen I've ever seen, a hamster in a wheel as he sprints a single and is almost taken out by Dale Steyn's throw from mid-on. Compton latches on to a rare half-volley from Kyle Abbott, the ball fizzes past mid-off for four and he affords himself an insouciant lean on his bat as he and Taylor shoot the breeze.

  8. Patience the keypublished at 12:48 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    "You feel if the batsmen don't make mistakes, it might take them longer to get the runs - say their first 40 or 50 - but once the newness of the ball goes it will be difficult to bowl a team out."

  9. Eng 72-3 (Compton 17, Taylor 18)published at 12:43 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Morkel full and fast. Taylor working to leg. Missing. An appeal from the slips. Less confident much from the bowler. A shake of the head from the umpire. Taylor and Compton keep it ticking over.

  10. 'Don't give it away'published at 12:41 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    "Taylor just needs to be careful here. He has ability and confidence from playing in the one-dayers, but don't go too much and give it away."

  11. Eng 68-3 (25 overs)published at 12:40 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    TV cameramen working on Tests in South Africa are never short of material in the crowd - let's just say they seem to pick out the ladies working on their sun tans. This time, they find three chaps wearing vests with a leopard-skin design. Hmmm. A crunching cover-driven four for Taylor, off Steyn no less.

  12. Eng 64-3 (Morkel 7-1-23-0)published at 12:35 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Nick Compton of England just makes it back safeImage source, Getty Images

    Brilliant work from Temba Bavuma at short leg. For the second time in the match, Compton has to hurry back into his ground as Bavuma gathers then flicks the ball towards the stumps - it flicks the bails but Compton's bat is over the line. Close. Very close.

  13. 'This suits South Africa'published at 12:30 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    "Short sessions suit South Africa. They will have an hour of bowling before another rest and change of clothes. Perfect."

  14. Eng 63-3 (23 overs)published at 12:29 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Compton, his left shoulder pointing to mid-on as he stands bolt upright, sees off another testing over from a fired-up Steyn. A play-and-miss off the final ball. That scowl could make children cry.

  15. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Email us: tms@bbc.co.uk

    Tom in Zurich: A reminder that the average first-innings score here is just 301. So being put into bat and struggling initially against the best pace attack in the world is hardly a disaster. 

  16. Eng 61-3 (22 overs)published at 12:24 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    What on earth was that? Morkel, one of the tallest bowlers in the world, is pulled straight back down the ground by one of the smallest batsmen. The ball ended up flying between bowler and non-striker for four but Taylor was in control, no doubt about it. David 1, Goliath 0.

  17. Eng 55-3 (21.1 overs)published at 12:22 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Morkel pins Compton above the pad on the back thigh with one that nips back off the seam. Compton and Root can compare bruises at the dinner table later on.

  18. Eng 55-3 (21 overs)published at 12:19 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Nick Compton of England batsImage source, Getty Images

    Morne Morkel to Nick Compton. Play.

  19. Postpublished at 12:19 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Test Match Special

    "England's batsmen are returning and the lights are on."

  20. Is Smith considering a comeback?published at 12:19 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Graeme Smith
    Ex-South Africa captain on BBC Test Match Special

    "I have signed to play in the Masters Champions League and a lot of it has come from that. Retiring at 33 leaves you with that feeling in the back of your mind that you could still do it. It is not something I am thinking about and I would have to have an unbelievable Masters to even consider it."