Summary

  • Broad's 3-16 gives England the edge

  • Elgar 67 not out, De Villiers 49 for SA

  • England collapsed from 247-5 to 267-9

  • Compton 85, Bairstow 41 & Broad 32*

  1. Night!published at 15:47

    There's not much to add to that, is there?

    It's time for us to sign off now, but we'll be back tomorrow. It's another early start as they attempt to make up the overs lost on the first day. Join us from around 0715 GMT.

    Until then... goodnight!

  2. Postpublished at 15:46 Greenwich Mean Time 27 December 2015

    Michael Vaughan
    Ex-England captain on breathesport.com

    "Stuart Broad is a class act. A sportsperson who delivers under pressure on a regular basis and plays the game hard... #Loveit"  

  3. Postpublished at 15:44 Greenwich Mean Time 27 December 2015

    Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    "I thought 303 is workable and still think it's workable. I don't think it's out of the question. Someone may play very well. It's a good time to take South Africa on and they are in a fragile state of mind."

  4. Postpublished at 15:43

    England's day could have been better, remember. Ben Stokes had Dean Elgar out lbw but skipper Alastair Cook decided not to review the not out decision.

    The nuggety left-hander is 67 not out overnight... he's standing between England and a long-looking Proteas tail.

  5. Postpublished at 15:42 Greenwich Mean Time 27 December 2015

    Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    "I think England are sitting pretty. South Africa's batting is slightly worse than England's and when you keep getting out it does your head in. You don't feel confident, you have to get to 25 by hook or by crook, but you are scratching about for runs. I will be very surprised if England don't get a lead and that will be priceless on this pitch."

  6. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 15:40 Greenwich Mean Time 27 December 2015

    #bbccricket

    Mike Ball: Scorecard makes Broad look like England's top all-rounder at the moment. He's had a good day with bat and ball today.

  7. Postpublished at 15:40 Greenwich Mean Time 27 December 2015

    Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    "Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers were the two big fish. Broad played absolutely gorgeous cricket. If you're a cricket connoisseur you're not just worried about bashing the ball everywhere."

  8. Postpublished at 15:39

    Geoffrey is right. Stuart Broad led England's attack magnificently.

    He had both Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers caught behind - the latter falling when well set as he became muddled in his thinking, wary of Broad's ability to move the ball both ways.

  9. Postpublished at 15:38 Greenwich Mean Time 27 December 2015

    Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    "It's a slow low pitch with a bit of nibble for the bowlers. People are having to work very hard for their runs. England did well this morning. Bairstow was positive and scored quite quickly and then Broad played some shots to get England to a working total on this surface. 

    "South Africa are a wobbly batting side and their confidence is down after their tour of India. Broad bowled beautifully with a great length and line and he got the two big fish of Amla and De Villiers."

  10. Postpublished at 15:36

    However, England's last-wicket pair of Stuart Broad and Steven Finn put on 36 runs to edge their side past 300 - a score which is par on this ground.

  11. Postpublished at 15:35

    So, let's recap on what we've seen today.

    England began on 179-4, but soon lost Ben Stokes after a couple of meaty boundaries.

    Nick Compton (85) and Jonny Bairstow (41) appeared to be taking England to a very good first-innings total, until a collapse saw the tourists slump from 247-5 to 267-9.

  12. Postpublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 27 December 2015

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Test Match Special

    "It's been a fascinating day's cricket on a sluggish pitch. Some balls have kept low and we've seen some spin so I think a target of 250 batting last on this pitch will be an extremely tall order."

  13. Scorecard - close of playpublished at 15:32

    South Africa first innings: 133-4 (52 overs)

    Batsmen: Elgar 67, Bavuma 10

    Fall of wickets: 0-1 (Van Zyl 0), 14-2 (Amla 7), 100-3 (De Villiers 49), 113-4 (Du Plessis 2)

    Bowling figures: Broad 10-5-16-3, Woakes 11-1-22-0, Moeen 13-0-45-1, Finn 10-1-34-0, Stokes 7-1-19-0, Root 1-1-0-0.

    England first innings: 303 all out (100.1 overs)

    Fall of wickets: 3-1 (Cook 0), 12-2 (Hales 10), 49-3 (Root 24), 174-4 (Taylor 70), 196-5 (Stokes 21), 247-6 (Compton 85), 253-7 (Moeen 0), 253-8 (Woakes 0), 267-9 (Bairstow 41), 303-10 (Finn 12).

    Not out batsman: Broad 32

    Bowling figures: Steyn 25.1-5-70-4, Abbott 24-4-66-1, Morkel 26-5-76-4, Piedt 16-2-63-1, Van Zyl 2-1-2-0, Elgar 7-2-22-0.

    Full scorecard

  14. Close of playpublished at 52 overs

    SA 137-4 (trail by 166)

    Joe Root steps up to bowl the final set of six of an enthralling day. Six dots. And that is stumps.

    England's day? I think so.

  15. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 27 December 2015

    #bbccricket

    Not your average household kitty!

    Are we about to see a new phenomenon of cats watching cricket?

    Cat on the fieldImage source, Getty Images
  16. SA 137-4 (Elgar 67, Bavuma 10)published at 51 overs

    It's a little murky out there as we approach what could be the penultimate over of the day. Ben Stokes bowls a bouncer which Dean Elgar ducks beneath... he must be cursing his skipper's decision not to review that lbw decision earlier. 

  17. SA 135-4 (trail by 168)published at 50 overs

    Temba Bavuma has had to battle hard to stay out there, but he's getting his rewards now as he plays a sweet on-drive for three off Steven Finn.

  18. Super-woakesy takes a wicket batting was atrociouspublished at 15:19 Greenwich Mean Time 27 December 2015

    #bbccricket

  19. SA 131-4published at 49 overs

    A cat sits on the field of play during day twoImage source, Getty Images

    There's a cat on the pitch! He/she is staying very still waiting to pounce on some birds grazing* nearby. I imagine it's pretty hard to be stealthy in front of television cameras and a few thousand people though, and all while being careful not to be wiped out by a Dean Elgar cover drive.

    Ben Stokes continues to impress and gets Elgar in all sorts of trouble with a yorker which is sliding down leg. A muted leg-before appeal soon fizzles out.

    * Do birds graze? I honestly don't know.

  20. Postpublished at 15:12 Greenwich Mean Time 27 December 2015

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

    "You've got to be aware of the situation in the moments before breaks. It's about finding the ability to play naturally and within your game plan. As it gets closer to the end of play you will begin to reel it in naturally. From Dean Elgar's perspective he would love to be there at the end of play."