Not in his worst cheese dreams could Amla have imagined a time when Elgar and Van Zyl would bowl in tandem together. Where's Morne Morkel? I'm not sure he's been seen since tea. In fairness to Elgar, he is getting some big turn - but that will only serve to encourage England in the fourth innings.

JoElle: Sir Geoffrey Compton survives. I like him. He's solid. Slow, but solid.

Ruairi Ward: Compton is playing a very similar role to that of Trott. A calming, steady influence to come in after wicket no.1; invaluable!

Image source, Getty Images

With Dale Steyn nursing a shoulder problem, Hashim Amla has to call on the very part-time medium pace of Stiaan van Zyl. It's slow stuff, with De Villiers up to the stumps. Club bowling, really. Short, wide, cut for four by Compton. Behind the beard, shades and floppy hat, Amla must be a worried man. 

England second innings: 101-2 (42 overs)

Batsmen: Compton 36, Root 28

Fall of wickets: 13-1 (Cook 7), 48-2 (Hales 26)

Bowling figures: Steyn 3.5-0-10-0, Morkel 10.3-4-10-0, Abbott 9.4-2-18-0, Piedt 15-3-52-2, Elgar 3-0-7-0

South Africa first innings: 214 (Elgar 118 not out)

Bowling figures: Broad 15-6-25-4, Woakes 14-1-28-0, Moeen 25-3-69-4, Finn 15.4-1-49-2, Stokes 9-1-25-0, Root 3-1-11-0.

England first innings: 303 (Compton 85, Taylor 70, Steyn 4-70, Morkel 4-76)

Full scorecard

Elgar looks to strike the right note, arranging his field, composing his over in an attempt to get England to dance to his tune. Flight, slow, moon bowling, with a hint of turn. No threat, though. About as dangerous as Father Christmas.

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

Image source, AP

  "Joe Root's doing well to bat in a sweater today - it's a bit different from Yorkshire."

Kyle Abbott keeps stomping in in the extreme Durban heat. With the strength of the breeze, it must be like playing cricket in a tumble dryer. (Could you play cricket in a tumble dryer? Would probably be easier to bat than bowl.) Nick Compton pushes to the leg side and sets off, bringing up the 100. Are they out of sight yet? Surely a chase of more than 240 would be beyond South Africa?  

Alison Mitchell
BBC Test Match Special

"Visually it looked like there was a deviation but nothing on the replays. Compton was immediate on that review."

Yep, nothing doing there. AB De Villiers barely appealed, but Elgar was convinced. It turned, too much so to take the edge. No marks on the bat, no sound, maybe bat on pad. Compton reprieved.

Where has this come from? Compton given out caught behind off Dean Elgar - it took Aleem Dar an age to put his finger up. Compton called for the review quick as a flash.

For the amount of runs Joe Root scores through point, they should rename that part of the ground 'Root'. Back foot, front foot or athlete's foot, he is simply sublime square of the wicket on the off side. This time it's a drive off Abbott, a big stride and the ball thwacking the boundary after beating the dive of the fielder.

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

"There are too many singles on offer here, South Africa need to keep the pressure on England."

Dean Elgar, the only South African who figured out which end of the bat to hold, is now asked to do a job with the ball. Perhaps sore from carrying his team's batsmen, he drags the first couple of his left-arm spinners down, allowing England some freebies. It's starting to feel like England are getting away.

Are you still feeling Christmassy? I hope so. I love Christmas, to the extent I want it to linger as long as possible. Do let me know of your cricketing Christmas. It could be a present, or a pic of you playing cricket by the tree. We'll prolong the festivities together.

Kyle Abbott, who I think might make a good Christmas villain - Scrooge, Herod etc - is driven for three through the off side by Joe Root.

Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special

"England at the moment look as though they're over that wobble they had just before tea."

Close!published at 13:32

13:32

Eng 86-2

Ooohhhh, another touch of fortune for Nick Compton, who looks to sweep but only gets ball on glove. It balloons into the air in front of square, just beating the dive of a scampering AB De Villiers. Reprieved, Compton celebrates by driving through the off side for a couple.

Image source, Getty Images

Helen Lewis: It won't be the last time Hales throws his wicket away like that. It's a regular occurrence at Notts & so frustrating!

Peter Eastwood: Both innings Hales looked fairly solid before throwing his wicket away. He has the talent, people just need to be patient.

JoElle: Criticism of Hales is a little unfair. It's been almost 2 years since a number 2 did their job of seeing off the new ball.

Kyle Abbott looks hacked off, as if he is drawing on the spirit of Andre Nel. Zinc on the face, breathing hard, probably pondering the failure of his batsmen and the extra overs he will have to send down in the absence of Dale Steyn. A much better length this over, neither full or short. Single from it.