Image source, Rex Features

Kevin Ticehurst: ‏ Not sure why we are slating Woakes? I thought he bowled smartly in the first innings with no luck. Needs a wicket soon. 

Thommo: Woakes has talent. Improvement comes through exposure at test level. We need to nurture talent for our future squad.

Fenners: ‏Get Moeen on early!

I wonder when Alastair Cook might think about introducing a bit of spin - with both these players having been thoroughly discombobulated by slow bowling during the India series. Van Zyl, probably playing for his Test future, whips Steven Finn through backward square-leg fence for his third boundary, then absolutely pastes him through midwicket for number four. South Africa on the charge!

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

"During the second half of his century in the first innings and his innings so far today, Elgar has looked very composed. His head has been still, he's batting very calmly, and his timing has been superb."

Image source, Rex Features

Elgar has the consummate timing of a man who always gets his poached eggs just right - he clips Stuart Broad off his legs and the ball races to the mid-wicket boundary. Good start this from South Africa.

VillanUK: Moving on from the negativity about Cook, Bairstow's innings was a xmas cracker, maybe match winning?

With slim pickings for Chris Woakes so far, Steven Finn replaces him in the attack. Van Zyl is living dangerously - again he flicks aerially into the leg side and only just clears the flailing arm of James Taylor at short leg.

Beth: ‏Woakes is a good bowler. He showed that in the first innings. He just hasn't found the right lengths yet. 

Image source, Getty Images

Stuart Broad hits Van Zyl on the pads and has a holler, but it's clearly sliding down leg. That's class from Dean Elgar, driving Broad down the ground for a four so straight he could have measured it with a spirit level.

Fenners: I hope that this Test shows how ineffective Woakes is and that he has no place at this level.

Mike Ball: ‏England should persist with Woakes. I think he has a lot of potential to be a classy all-rounder with a bit more work. 

Matt Smith: ‏Woakes just isn't good enough with the ball at Test level...wasting the new ball here.

That's nice from SVZ, standing tall and punching Woakes handsomely off the back foot to the point boundary. He's clearly got a few decent shots in his locker, if he can just get past those early-innings jitters. Another good piece of timing earns him three for a punch down the ground.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"Taylor did pretty well to stay so low. It could have been one of those flukey dismissals that goes your way."

Dropped catchpublished at 3 overs

3 overs

SA 9-0

Stiaan Van Zyl's Test career flashes before his eyes as he flicks Stuart Broad to leg and James Taylor, under the helmet at short leg, almost manages to reel it in via a fortuitous combination of leg and hand. Ben Stokes puts his hands to his increasingly pink face in frustration.

Teams have batted 140-plus overs in the fourth innings of Tests in South Africa on six occasions. The last instance was England's 141 overs in Cape Town, 2010-11.

Image source, Getty Images

Ooh I say that's a good shot from Van Zyl, overpitched by Woakes and SVZ just leans into it but it's superbly timed and races away to the boundary. Greeted by a blast of 'Africa' by Toto over the tannoy. Classic. A nice push from Elgar earns him two.

Van Zyl, of course, left a straight one second ball in the first innings, and in fact, they've switched round - Elgar is going to take strike. He's off the mark with a steer through point, and Van Zyl avoids a pair with a push and run.

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

"South Africa have to lay a platform in the top three. One of the first two wickets need a 100-run partnership. They don't want men around the bat when Moeen Ali comes on to bowl."

Elgar (fresh from a ton) and Van Zyl (fresh from Test-best bowling figures) are out in the middle. Stu-Bro has the nut. Let's go.

He might not have got a ton, but it's worth highlighting what a very good innings that was from Jonny Bairstow. In a game where scoring has generally been difficult and slow, 79 from 76 balls is a superb effort. He batted for the team, even eschewing personal glory at the end to unselfishly play risky shots.

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"England have outplayed South Africa in every department. They are down, but not out. Two or three guys need to play well. They need to get through today and make England bowl them out."