Still Piedt skipping in, only a slip, cover and point on the off side. (Is three the minimum allowed? I think it is. If you've got a Wisden to hand, be a dear and look it up, please.) Root, who has played the offie too well in this match, almost offers a chance to the diving short leg. When a man in the deep comes to leg slip, Root loosens the shackles with a sweetly struck slog sweep for six. Not been playing the offie well, eh?

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"It's a fantastic position for England. I always thought that it would be a nice contest, England would be in the game against South Africa, but I didn't think they'd find it quite this easy."

Charles Gordon, a Twitter correspondent using the hashtag #bbccricket is a wiser man than me. He points out that the South Africans speaking in Afrikaans might actually be for the benefit of Compton. Sledging in a language that he understands? We can only speculate. Abbott, a man of the cloth, looks to have learned his lesson about bowling short, but then bounces Compton and is hooked for four. 

Image source, AFP

Nick Compton likes a sweep, both reverse and conventional. This time he's aerially going to square leg, picking up four off Piedt. To negate the spin, Compton - usually a shuffler - is getting so far across his stumps that they need not bother with fielders on the off side.

Nick Mottram: Looking at the pitch on the 1st day, you'd never have thought we'd get such drama. Big match nerves on show from both sides!!

Oh, Joe Root, that is lovely. Kyle Abbott's first ball after tea, Root punches off the back foot through point for four. Tendulkar-esque. Far removed from the Little Master was the earlier dismissal of Alex Hales. Hales is currently trending on Twitter in the UK. Not a great deal of it is complimentary.

There's some chat around the bat, largely in Afrikaans. I wonder if the South Africa-born Compton understands what is being said. Slip and a short leg, Compton looking to use the turn to play on the leg side. Piedt, not much taller than the stumps, skips in to start the session with a maiden.

I say bright sunshine, but cloud is just rolling in to accompany the strong wind. Nick Compton is about to take strike after the break, facing the offies of Dane Piedt. The spinner might have a bit to do in this evening session.

Image source, AFP

James Gutteridge: Still think Hales could be something special for England, just needs to learn how to adapt his natural game to Tests.

Anthony Davison: Move Compton up to 2 and bring Hales in at 3 with the leash off. 

There are a potential 39 overs left in the day, but I wonder if the light will have a say - even if it's bright sunshine in Durban at the moment. The players are just dabbing the cake crumbs from their lips and heading back to the middle.

An emergency fund to help flood-hit lower league cricket teams has been set up by Yorkshire.

In a statement on its website,, external Yorkshire ask clubs in their region to send information about what is insured, which damage is repairable, long-term issues and an estimate of the bill to fix them.

The ECB, which also provides advice and support for clubs affected,, external will help with the clean-up operation.

Here's more on that story.

Don't forget that Test Match Special have been looking at some of the cricket clubs that have been affected by flooding in the north of England. We've been sent some astonishing photographs.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"I'm trying to think what further could go wrong for South Africa today than what has happened today."

Thanks, James. Watching on, I've been wondering what is going on with this South Africa team. A dodgy batting line-up, butter fingers and a Dale Steyn fitness hokey-cokey. How curious. 

Time for me to take my leave and hand you back to Stephan Shemilt, who will guide you through the trials and tribulations of the evening session.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, Getty Images

"If South Africa keep dropping chances like that they'll be chasing 500. Morkel must be fuming. They've dropped the best player in the world and the man who got 85 in the first innings. Morkel will have a big bottom lip on. I hope someone takes him a nice slice of cake."