Summary

  • Stokes 258 off 198 balls

  • Second fastest Test double century

  • Bairstow 150* - maiden Test century

  • Highest Test sixth-wicket stand (399)

  • Amla 64*, De Villiers 25*

  • England lead 1-0 in four-match series

  1. How's stat?!published at 08:44 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2016

    Andrew Samson
    BBC Test Match Special statistician

    Jonny Bairstow and Ben StokesImage source, Getty Images

    "A record sixth-wicket partnership for England against South Africa at Newlands, breaking the 117 between Mike Smith and Jim Parks."

  2. Eng 349-5published at 90 overs

    South Africa are almost grateful to have Jonny Bairstow on strike. But the relief is temporary as Morne Morkel bowls a filthy half-tracker and is pulled for four.

    And again... this time a straight drive to the boundary.

    Big Bash? Give me this any day of the week.

  3. 'It's like a benefit match'published at 08:40 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2016

    Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    Ben StokesImage source, Rex Features

    "That's a rubbish ball - it's so wide I could have hit that with my Mum's sweeping brush. It's like a benefit match."

  4. Eng 341-5 (Stokes 97 off 104)published at 89 overs

    Ben Stokes is like a rampaging bull which has been well rested, fed and watered and ready to unleash carnage again. He's motoring towards three figures here... smiting another boundary backward of point. I've not had my cornflakes yet and England have added 24 runs. In 12 balls.

  5. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:40 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2016

    ##bbccricket

    James Thomas: Worth getting up early on Sunday to see @benstokes38, external smash the ball about.

  6. Eng 335-5published at 88.3 overs

    Ben StokesImage source, Getty Images

    Hang on... I just need to adjust my television set. I think it's still showing last night's highlights.

    Nope, it's OK. Ben Stokes smashes Chris Morris for back to back fours.

    Fireworks at 8.30am. Nice.

  7. 100 partnership uppublished at 08:36 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2016

    Andrew Samson
    BBC Test Match Special statistician

    "The hundred partnership came up in 120 balls, containing 16 fours. It's the first century partnership between Stokes and Bairstow pair in Test cricket."

  8. Eng 327-5 (Stokes 83, Bairstow 40)published at 88 overs

    Muddled thinking from Morne Morkel. The big fast bowler begins round the wicket to Ben Stokes, abandons the plan after one ball and then his first delivery over the wicket is smeared through the covers for four. The first over of the day is not yet complete and Plans A & B appear to be out of the window.

    And again... another four through the off side. Stokes is wasting no time here.

  9. Eng 318-5published at 08:30

    Morne Morkel bowlsImage source, Getty Images

    Let's play. Morne Morkel cranks himself up for the first ball of the day and is worked through mid-wicket for a single by Jonny Bairstow. England up and running.

  10. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:29 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2016

    #bbccricket

    Rt.Rev.Liam Reilly: I'll be excited about Ben Stokes when he performs consistently. Too quick to go off the boil with bat and ball.

    Terry Mahoney: Let's not get too carried away. While stats aren't everything, great batsmen don't have a Test batting average of 29. 

  11. 'South Africa lost the plot'published at 08:29 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2016

    Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    Morkel watches as England score runsImage source, Getty Images

    "The game got away from South Africa. It topped off a day when I thought South Africa bowlers had done very, very well. There's little movement. 220-5 gave them the impression that if we nick a couple away before close of play, but England took advantage.

    "You have a chance for either side to grab the initiative, sense those moments, nip and tuck, ebb and flow through a Test match, then that moment comes. Who's going to grab it? England grabbed it. South Africa didn't - they lost the plot."

  12. Postpublished at 08:28

    Cricket feels unimportant on days like today, but play is about to get under way in Cape Town. Can England ram home their advantage? Let's find out.

  13. Postpublished at 08:27

    Ryan Sidebottom is one of many to have tweeted about their sadness. The cricket world is mourning and, as we just mentioned, the England team will be wearing black armbands today.

  14. Sussex's Hobden dies aged 22published at 08:26 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2016

  15. Sussex's Hobden dies aged 22published at 08:25

    Matthew HobdenImage source, Getty Images

    Some sad news to bring you from the cricket world: Sussex seamer Matthew Hobden has died at the age of 22.

    In a statement, the club said it was "deeply shocked and saddened". The cause of death has not been given.

    Hobden made his first-class debut for Sussex in 2014, and took 23 wickets at an average of 47 in County Championship Division One.

    England lead fast bowling coach Kevin Shine said: "His potential was huge. He was improving rapidly and I'm certain that he would have played for England."

    The England players will wear black armbands today in Cape Town as a mark of respect.

    Read more here

  16. Postpublished at 08:23 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2016

    Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    "It was a wonderful final session for England last night, 150 runs really hurts you as a bowling side. As soon as the new ball was used Ben Stokes started to spread the field, it was psychologically damaging for the bowler, and this helped England."

    Listen to TMS via the top of this page or on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

  17. Live text bingo alertpublished at 08:22

    Before I go any further, let me remind you of the scores on the doors.

    England will resume the second day on 317-5, hoping to bat South Africa out of the game. Ben Stokes is 74 not out and the equally impressive Jonny Bairstow is unbeaten on 39.

    I'm not going to say the first session is crucial, but...

  18. A special playerpublished at 08:21

    Of course, Ben Stokes might also be out to the first ball of the day and finish with bowling figures of 0-50... but that's the beauty of cricket.

    Here's a man capable of special things. Anyone worried about the future of cricket should sit a youngster down and play them a tape of Stokes taking on the new ball last night.

    South Africa had waited an hour for it - believing it to be the holy grail which would see them polish off England - but when it came, Stokes whacked Chris Morris for 17 in one over.

    Like I said... special.

  19. All about the Stokespublished at 08:19

    Good morning everyone!

    Welcome to day two of the Ben Stokes show.

    What's on the menu today? Maybe a century, maybe a five-wicket haul.

    The ability is there... let's see what unfolds.

  20. The future of English cricketpublished at 08:15

    Ben StokesImage source, Getty Images

    Better than Beefy? Not yet.

    The next Freddie? Most definitely.