Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"That is Amla's 24th Test century, his fifth against England, third here at Newlands and his first in 14 innings since a double century against West Indies last December."

Stokes goes to the short stuff - too short, according to the umpire. That's a wide as De Villiers ducks. He's then hurried into a pull - he shovels it behind square from very high on the bat. Stokes is still finding something out of this pitch.

Paul Hawkins: Brilliant century from Amla. Lovely guy, leading by example. He's winning the Battle of the Beards with Moeen!

Just a hint of turn for Moeen, but very, very slow, and De Villiers is content to pat back a maiden over. It's muted out there.

Image source, Rex Features

Stokes, fresh from his tin of spinach for lunch (opened with his bare hands, no doubt), is charged with finding the breakthrough at the other end. Two slips and a gully wait, arms folded across their chests. Admirably straight and full from England's double centurion, but no threat to Amla. One off the over

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

"Well played Hashim Amla, a real captain's knock, a knock of character, one that he needed and he certainly responded to all the criticisms. He was under immense pressure, especially after Stokes' innings."

100 for Amlapublished at 73 overs

73 overs

SA 209-2

Moeen round the wicket to Amla, and the skipper gets to his 24th Test century with a late cut for four. Finesse and placement - a mark of the quality batsman he is. A modest raise of the bat (not quite a Stokes-esque celebration) and hearty applause from the crowd. Well batted indeed.

Image source, Getty Images

It's Moeen to kick us off, or rather it's Amla getting South Africa away first ball with a crisp drive through cover for four. Text. Book.

J Gore: I'm not sure that the term 'good pitch' is relevant anymore for a track like this. When test matches are competing with T20 and even 50 over matches, what we want to see is a fair battle between bat and ball and a result in 4-5 days. Just saying!

Image source, Getty Images

Thanks Higgy. Glad you made it through that morning session, which didn't quite live up to yesterday's, it's fair to say. Hashim Amla, nine runs away from a century, and AB de Villiers, on 56, stride out for South Africa. England need wickets.

Craig Woodhead: Having the worst day. Back at work, loaded with cold and hardly any sleep. Thank god I have #bbccricket to get me through the day.

Right, an early lunch for me. Justin Goulding is here to take over live text duties.

Simon Davis: My six-year-old son, not much interest in cricket, has been asking about Ben Stokes all morning #legacy, external.

Jared Williams: Draw written all over this. South Africa just doing what they need to do. Even as a purest that loves Test cricket this is dull.

Nick Plummer: Total opposite to the fireworks of yesterday's morning session, but equally enthralling.

With the players taking lunch, how about this on the subject of food. A 10-year-old Australian boy has earned cult status among cricket fans after he was filmed eating a whole watermelon - including the rind.

Mitchell Schibeci, dubbed "watermelon boy", said he devised the stunt to get his face on the giant TV screen during Saturday's Melbourne Stars-Melbourne Renegades Big Bash game at the MCG.

TV commentators were shocked to see him chomping into the fruit, external, skin and all - and the hashtag #watermelonboy trended on social media in Australia.

Mitchell said: "It was a lot more hard work than I thought it would be. I just kept on eating and eating it."

Watch the video here.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"This South African pair have been very patient, they're both so experienced but those two dropped catches last night and this morning have cost England.

"The Joe Root-Jimmy Anderson combination hasn't worked and you need to take those chances as there is no spin off this pitch, there's a bit of bounce but no movement.

"You'd expect good players to score runs on this wicket and these are two of the best.

"But South Africa know that one bad hour for them means it will all be lost."