Image source, Reuters

Ben Stokes has been that good this morning, I reckon the coach will let him get away with having just chocolate cake for his lunch. And he can stay up late watching films tonight. Or have a beer with his tea.

The boy's the new darling of English cricket. Jonny Bairstow, at the non-striker's end, has the best ticket in the house. I'd pay more for that view than tickets to see Take That if Robbie returned (for my wife, of course!).

Just the three from the over.

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"Whoa! It's mayhem. The game is going very quickly away from South Africa."

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"Ben Stokes now has the highest score for an England batsman at Newlands, beating Jack Hobbs' 187 in 1910.

"He also has the highest score by an England number six. The previous best was Graeme Hick's 178, external against India in Mumbai in 1986."

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"The 250 partnership came up in 226 balls, containing 31 fours and five sixes." 

Eng 484-5 (Stokes 188, Bairstow 83)published at 106 overs

106 overs

That's the 250 partnership off 226 balls, brought up off a no ball. The records keep on coming. South Africa are losing their discipline in a big way.

Kagiso Rabada, as he often does, drops one in short and Ben Stokes rocks back and heaves it into Row Z. In fact, it's out of the ground.

Fetch.

Next.

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"The last England player to score 100 runs in a session before lunch was Ian Bell, against Bangladesh at Chester-le-Street in 2005." 

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

"You have to enjoy this - how can you not? You've got a appreciate this. But it's embarrassing for South Africa."

Eng 471-5 (Stokes 181 off 149)published at 105 overs

105 overs

How will South Africa's batsmen fare this afternoon when they get a chance to bat? They must feel so deflated.

Ben Stokes is showing no sign of slowing down. He's doing 120mph on a race day experience and is loving it.

Dane Piedt is hammered for a four. Then a six. Then another six.

He's scored a century in the session. Wow.

I'll be honest... if you'd have told me I'd be putting pictures of Big Daddy into the live text this morning, I'd have laughed.

Out on the boundary, a group of England players are reluctantly heading for a net session with Otis Gibson." Come on gaffer, let us just sit and watch Stokesey."

Nothing is going South Africa's way as Jonny Bairstow edges down to third man.

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

"Everyone is witnessing something special. They are rare occasions and Stokes is producing some superb strokeplay."

Eng 446-5published at 102.1 overs

102.1 overs

Ben Stokes is scoring runs with outrageous ease now... sitting back in his crease and launching the poor off-spinner Dane Piedt over wide long-off. Huuuggge.

Earlier we stated that Ben Stokes was performing like England's very own Russell Crowe in Gladiator. Now, it's your turn...

I don't think I'm being swept up in the morning when I say this is one of the best innings I've seen from an England batsman in my lifetime. In terms of attacking innings, it's up there with those of KP at The Oval, Mumbai etc.

Jonny Bairstow is racing towards three figures too, rolling his wrists on a short one to pull the ball to the fence. There's been a couple of plays and misses too, but we'll let him off for those.

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

"It's been both gut-wrenching and electric to watch. It doesn't look like there's been a plan for South Africa this morning. Pressure has been transferred by the way Bairstow and Stokes have played. It's been savage and South Africa need to find a plan that will work for them. How do you tighten things up and get wickets?"